


Midnight Special - Season One

by rachelarcher



Series: Winchester Gospels - When All Is Said And Done [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adam gets a shot in this damnit, Angel Castiel, Angels have no real gender, Angels mate for life, Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Archangels, Awesome Bobby, Baby Adam, Balthazar Lives, Bisexual Dean, Bobby Lives, Castiel in the Bunker, Dean is bens father, F/F, F/M, Gabriel is a Little Shit, Help, Human Castiel, Lucifer Needs a Hug, Lucifer has a Forked Tongue, Lucifer isn't so bad, Lucifer's Cage, M/M, Mechanic Dean, Michael Being A Dick, Multi, Protective Gabriel, Protective Lucifer, Sam Ships It, Sam Winchester's Demonic Powers, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Trickster Gabriel, Young Adam, am i worthy, balthazar is a rambunctious flirt, balthazar makes it to the boss fight, bobby is the best father for the winchesters, cas is snarky, demons need love to, gabriel makes it to the big boss fight, heaven help the angels, hells got nothing on us winchesters, hes a great brother in law, how did crowley score bobby, litterally following episode by episode, lucifer is still a dick at times, no wonder god left his kids are sarcastic asshats, ok, so they do but they dont care, subtext what subtext let the eyefucking began, this was wooooooooooorth it, trying to stay close to cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 05:33:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 52,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7087291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Mary Winchester had the perfect family, a beautiful son Dean, who was four, a playful daughter Carter, who was almost two, and a six month old chubby son named Sam. But, like all good things, even their happiness had to come to an end. After a mysterious fire destroys the house they call home, burning Mary Winchester, John decided to fight back, and in doing so takes a long and winding road, that with either lead to redemption or damnation. John makes mistakes along the way, three of them actually: Adam, Ben, and Elliott. When he goes missing, can his children work together to find him, and save those along the way?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Midnight Special - Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> This is just season one, I plan on doing them all, and completing my own kind of end!verse after I wrap season eleven. There will be chapters, probably like two-four episodes a chapter.

Dean - meaning “valley”

Carter - one who transports goods

Sam - "name of God" or "God has heard"

Adam - “man” or “made of red”

Ben - "son of the south" or "son of the right hand"

Elliott - “my God is YAHWEH"

Winchester - From an English place name, derived from the given name Venta, of unknown meaning, combined with Latin castra "encampment"

 

\---------------------------------

 

“Gabriel, my son, there will come a time I will take my leave, and when I do, your brothers will fight. Before that, I want you to care for this little angel - his name is Castiel, and together you two will help the Winchester Apostol’s save the world thrice. Castiel will remind you of your brother Lucifer, this is a good thing, my son. Remember, Gabriel, when I leave, you will travel to Earth, you will hide who you are and what you are. A time will come, that a Winchester will save you, when that happens, have it hide away some of your grace, for a time when things are dim.” 

 

His father’s voice resonated in his ears. “Yes father, when will you bring Castiel?”

 

“Now.” With that the presence of God left Gabriel, in his wake, a little boy angel, roughly looking to be three or four, with jet black wings, they glittered in the right light. 

 

“Hello, Castiel. I have much to teach you.” Gabriel scooped him up, and smiled at him, stretching his own golden wings with white ribbons out behind him. “Let’s start with God’s creations.”

 

Gabriel landed softly on the shores of a great waterway, sand churning as the waves hit the land, he sat Castiel down gently, and took his hand in his. Barefoot they walked to the edge of the water where a green fish was crawling from the water, scraping along the land. “Don’t step on that fish, Castiel, I have big plans for it.” Gabriel tugged his hand, pulling him forward along the sands.

 

“Father said you would take care of me?” Castiel asked.

 

“Mhm, always littlest brother.” Gabriel promised, Castiel was the last angel God ever made. He was not an archangel like Gabriel, or a warrior angel like Balthazar, whom Gabriel had cared for before, nor was he an managment like angel - Naomi would chew him up and spit him out. “I will always take care of you.” 

 

Gabriel watched as his youngest brother grew, as his wings darkened, with cobalt blue feathers peeking through from time to time. He watched as Castiel’s eyes grew to match the blue feathers in his wings, he watched as Castiel began to ask questions, his curiosity rivaling Lucifers. Watching the littlest angel… made Gabriel’s heart break for his brother, his fallen brother.

 

Gabriel watched as his siblings fought, his heart breaking, twisting, fear gripping him. Castiel was as adult as an angel could get. “Castiel, I must leave for a while.”

 

“But… you said you’d always be here.” Castiel looked torn.

 

“And I will, I love you very much, Castiel.” Gabriel wrapped his brother in a warm hug, pulling him close, their graces touching. “Take care of yourself, remember to stay close to Balthazar.”

 

-/-

 

Over the next millennium he listened to angel radio, Castiel was strong and growing in ranks, he was the leader of his own garrison, with angels like Urial and Balthazar fighting under him. He also heard the whispers among the humans he lived alongside, their prayers for an angel, or for God.

 

Over time Gabriel had made a name for himself, Loki, or the Trickster. He continued his duty to God, keeping a close eye on Castiel, even hiding among the humans in places where the young angel would touch down. He was making quite the name for himself. God was still absent...

 

\---------------------------------

 

“Normal people don’t break into their brothers apartments.” Carter Winchester whisper shouted, it was too late, now, Dean their eldest brother, was already climbing the fire escape. 

 

“Live a little, brat.” Dean nearly shouted back at her.

 

“Fuck, come on, Adam, Ben, let’s move.” Carter beckoned they follow her up the main entrance and towards the room they knew and had known about for almost four years. 

 

-/-

 

Two things happened at once. A loud series of crashes in her apartment livingroom and a forceful knock on the front door. “Sam?” Jess called from their bedroom. “I am going to get the door, now, ok?”

 

No response, Jess wound her way through the apartment and opened the front door to see a young woman, with the same soft brown hair as Sam and similar green blue eyes. The woman was small, much shorter than Jess was, Jess realized the female before her probably was only five foot tall. Beside her a lanky boy in his early teens with a shaggy long blonde mop who towered over the female, and a older child who looked to be about ten on her other side, for now he was short and small, almost frail looking. 

“You must be Jess, I am Carter Winchester, Sam’s older sister. And if I know Sam, those noises coming from your kitchen are him and our oldest brother Dean, going battle royal on your house.”

 

Carter pushed pass Jess and headed for the kitchen. “Sammy.” Her voice was calm, and Jess watched on as her boyfriend of almost three years whirled around, his face shifting from irritation to calm ease in a moment of seconds, his fist still raised to strike the man in the floor. 

 

“Carter, shit. Must be bad if you're all here.” Sam breathed, looking past his older sister, to the younger boys flanking her.

 

“Like I said, dad’s missing. Now, beer?” Dean roughly shoved Sam off.

 

“So what, he always comes back.” Sammy deadpanned, as he stood.

 

“It was a hunt.” Carter offered.

 

“He left on his own.” Adam grumbled.

 

“It’s been three weeks, Sammy.” Ben, the youngest of the Winchester brood looked up at Sammy with huge puppy dog eyes, signing the words as he spoke them.

 

Sam’s brow furrowed. “Alright, if I help you guys look, I have to be back by Monday.”

 

“See, I knew you’d help.” Dean had raided the fridge and proudly presented a beer to Carter.

 

“Dean.” Carter glared. “Don’t drink all of Sammy’s beer.”

 

“Where are you guys staying?” Jess asked, finally finding her voice.

 

“Motel, out on 8.” Dean offered.

 

“That’s a waste of money you can stay here!” Jess smiled warmly. “I have never met any of Sam’s family, he said you were all busy and scattered, yet four of you are in my livingroom!”

 

“We don’t get together… often.” Adam wrung his hands.

 

“Tatertot.” Ben was tugging on Carter’s sleeve. Carter dipped into his space, and the younger boy moved his hands at a speed that made Jess wonder what was happening.

 

Carter laughed. “Ben says you're beautiful.”

 

“Thank you, is Ben Deaf?” Jess asked no one in particular.

Sam even looked confused at this. “Not completely, accident.” Dean looked like he was explaining to no one but Sam. 

 

“Well, there are two hidabeds on the couches.” Sam led Jess away to bed then, shutting the door behind them.

 

-/-

 

“So, your the middle child?” Jess asked.

 

“Sort of, Dean is the oldest, he was four when I was born, Carter is next, she was almost two when I was born. Adam has a different mom, I am seven years older than him, so he should be fifteen now. Ben, belongs to Dean, but our father adopted him. Ben is twelve years younger than me, so he's about ten now. Our dad… he’s a piece of work. Adam and Ben need him, or else Dean and Carter wouldn’t be looking.” Sam muttered, snuggling up to her. “I will have to leave first thing in the morning.”

 

“What happened to Ben?” Jess asked.

 

“No clue, must have happened after I left, because his last birthday I was there for, when he turned six he could hear just fine.” Sam’s mind was already working through the implications of Ben’s hearing loss. 

 

“Your sister looks kinda scary.” Jess whispered.

 

“She’s harmless.” Sam lied, although she did look different than the last time he saw her. Namely she had a lip piercing, a silver ring looped through her lower lip on the right side. “She’s the only mom me, Adam, 

and Ben ever had.”

 

Jessi laid in his arms, thinking over what he had said. Carter wasn’t that much older than Sam, so how in the world had she raised him.

 

-/-

 

“What are we hunting anyway?” Sam asked settling into the passenger seat, already he had noticed that when Carter was worried, she toyed with her lip ring, wiggling it with her tongue, or nipping at it between her teeth.

 

“Ten men over the last twenty years have disappeared on the same stretch of highway.” Dean offers then started rooting around. “Music time.”

 

“Dude, your music still sucks.” Sam rolled his eyes as he carded his fingers through the offered cassettes. 

 

“House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole.” Sam rolled his eyes but shut up regardless.

 

Ben was stretched out in the back of the Impala, Sam and Dean in the front as the road opened up before them. “I have to be back on Monday.” Sam had told them all that morning as they headed out to pick up their father’s trail. Carter still had her loud Triumph motorcycle, and Adam was behind her, backpack secured to him. Leather jackets and plaid made up the normal dress etiquette for being a Winchester, and seeing them on the bike beside, behind or in front of them, reminded Sam of growing up. The Impala had been their home, where they rested, until of course Dean turned 16. That was when John bought the bike. Carter normally rode with him. Then Carter turned 16, and she had been given the bike. After that John had his truck. Sam rode with Carter on the bike a lot. Dean often kept Ben and Adam with him in the Impala. 

 

His mind was off in another world, when he caught Dean chuckling. “Bet they are listening to CCR.” 

 

“Creedence Clearwater Revival. How do you know.”

 

“Watch the way Adam and Carter bob their heads along, I bet you anything it’s Green River.” Sure enough as Sam watched, the song playing in his mind, he could almost hear the tempo in their movements.

 

Ben tugged harshly at Sam, and he looked back at the boy. “I have to pee.” He spoke and signed at the same time.

 

“I hear you buddy.” Dean offered, signaling to Carter, they pulled off to the side.

 

Once Ben was out of the car, Adam trailing him, Carter made her way towards Sam and Dean, who were both relaxed against the hood. “CCR, Green River?” Sam asked as he tapped his ears.

 

“You betcha.” She nodded.

 

“How did it happen?” Sam asked, motioning towards Ben.

 

“Dad.” Carter offered it easily enough.

 

“Carter.” Dean’s voice held a warning.

 

“Needed bait, a boy, a young one. To lure a witch out.” Carter continued, ignoring Dean. “Except when he took her out, instead of the spell wearing off it turned sour. I managed to voodoo the shit out of a couple things, figured out a fix, albit temporary, but… it stopped his ears from bleeding, and we thought we were in the clear.”

 

“Then his hearing started to fade.” Dean offered. “I was stupid, Sammy, so stupid to let dad.” Dean pressed the palm of his hands into eyes.

 

“We all let dad.” Carter sighed.

 

“Adam tried to volunteer to protect Ben, but Adam wasn’t the right age.” Dean finished the thought.

 

By that time both Adam and Ben had made it back to them. Ben’s hands were alive with activity, and as he signed he spoke. “Can I ride some with you tatertot?”

 

“Sure.” Carter smiled at the nickname. Adam was little when he came to be a Winchester, and had given his older siblings the nicknames that Ben now called them. Dean was Beany; Carter was Tatertot; Sam was Sammy. 

 

Carter secured the helmet on Ben, and reminded him to hold on to her, and to stay tight in the curves. “Be safe.” Dean called after them.

 

Adam settled into the back seat of the Impala, and tried to stretch his legs out. “Is everyone in this family determined to tower over me?” Dean snarled.

 

“Carter can’t.” Sam giggled. Dean chuckled, even Adam hummed a bit. “Forever the Vertically Challenged one.” Soon night fell and left each of the Winchesters in their own thoughts. 

 

-/-

 

Hunting without Sam had been awful the last four years, but Dean was not about to let that come out. He was the strong one for God’s sake. It was his job to protect, Carter’s job to nurture, and Sammy’s to teach… but Sam had tossed it all away like a bad cookie, moved away from them as far as he could to Stanford. 

 

That night had damn near destroyed their family. It was Carter, in the end, who opened the door for Sammy, shoving their father out of the way, her calm voice saying, “Sammy, we love you, please don’t do this. Were better together, stronger.” But he had left, and for years Dean could still hear his father’s voice ringing in his ears. “If you walk out now, DON’T you EVER come back.”

 

Dean had realized some time ago that was probably why Carter never left, regardless of how many times the opportunity presented itself. Many men would have loved to take Carter home and keep her, but she remained. Dean thanked God or whatever deity there was daily that Carter loved him enough to stick around, loved him enough to be his second. More often than not she was the only thing that kept Dean and John Winchester from going completely last man standing against each other.

 

Dean and Carter had spent most of their youth taking care of Sam, and then Adam, eventually Ben. Carter and Dean had never had childhoods, not that it bothered them. They tried hard to give Sammy a childhood, often letting him indulge in things that John disapproved of, before Sam took off it was common for an arguement to break out. For both Dean and Carter to go toe to toe with their father, Sam behind them, cowering in fear.

 

-/-

 

Carter was the second child born to John and Mary Winchester. She was a surprise, they hadn’t planned on any children after Dean. Carter was named after her mother’s older brother who had died in a hunting accident. Hunting being the operative word. Like the other Winchesters, she never met any of her grandparents.

 

She didn’t remember much about her mother. She knew Dean remembered more. She and Sammy were born so close together, growing up they had been very close, so close that the night that seemed to ebb away at her father and brother constantly was in her opinion the most damning night of her life. In the moments before she held the door of the run down shack they were staying in, open to let Sam walk out of their lives, he looked at her - Sammy always could tell her what he needed to without talking.

 

He was the one who didn’t want this life, even little Ben enjoyed the hunt, the kill, the fleeting feelings of being a Hero, even if they were silent unsung heroes. Sammy wanted the normal life, wanted to be free from this - from his father’s sins, from his siblings who in his mind were so complicit and unwavering in their decision to follow their father.

 

She held the door open, and begged him one last time to stay. “Were better together, stronger.” She wasn’t enough, and she knew it, her eyes had danced back to her father’s stony face. Willing him to tell Sam anything to get him to stay. 

 

Since Sam had left, she had taken a back seat to the John and Dean show, often playing research assistant and babysitter to the younger two. She had managed to keep them in school while they were staying at Bobby’s. Bobby Singer had let her and the younger two crash on and off with him, and whenever they were there the boys attend Sioux Fall Primary. 

 

When John Winchester disappeared, at first she didn’t think anything about it, then Dean was there, and she realized they were in hot water. Although they had been hunting the monster that had destroyed their mother, the mother the three older Winchester’s shared, here of late they had had no luck.

 

-/-

 

The middle child of John and Mary, Samuel Winchester, was by far the biggest headache. He was strong willed and determined, and he wanted more than anything to lead a normal life. That was what had pushed him, hard, to leave the family he had always known.

 

Carter was the one he felt bad for, more so than Dean. Leaving her had been hard. She had never deserved the life they were dealt. Often John used her for bait, and would have her lure monsters to their deaths, not to mention Dean treated her like a burden.

 

Dean and Carter were the parents of their little dysfunctional family, Sam knew that since he could walk. They took care of everything, always promising the younger siblings that dad loved them and would never leave them, would never stay gone. The night everything came to a head, Carter had been bitten by a nasty vamp.

 

She wasn’t going to change into one, but a chunk under her ribcage was missing. John Winchester was blaming it on Sammy, who was supposed to have been her cover. “Dad, Sam was there, he was fighting a vamp too.” She had tried to tell him.

 

There was no stopping the argument, and Carter motioned for Adam to take Ben to another room, and turn the television on. No sooner than he was gone did John tear into Sam. “Were not good enough for you!” It only escalated.

 

Dean and Carter stood in silence for a long moment, listening to the argument. Carter tried to stop Sam, she really did. Her face pleading as she opened the door. Maybe it was the blood leaking from her side or fact that the black eye came not from her fight with the vamps but their father. Either way her imploring statement of “We’re better together, stronger.” Made him laugh, and solidified his resolve to leave.

 

The words his father said next, those sealed the proverbial coffin, and proved to him that what he was doing was correct. “Don’t EVER come back.” 

 

He had not planned on returning, either. But Dean in his kitchen, stealing his beer, with Carter, Adam, and Ben pushing past Jess, his past had truly caught up with him. Sam wasn’t sure what he could accomplish in looking for their father that the four of them couldn’t, but they were more important to him than John, and if they were asking for help he would do it. 

 

-/-

 

Adam Winchester was a mistake. He knew that, his siblings knew that. John had tackled a ghoul case on his own, took out a whole family of them, and met a wonderful woman. Her name was Amelia, and she was deaf. His nightmares didn’t wake her. He stayed with her for a full two months, then was gone again. 

It had taken her almost four months after Adam was born for his mother to hunt down John Winchester, and when she did instead of waiting around for him to come back to the motel, she handed the bundled up infant to Carter, and stormed off. 

 

She killed herself not long after that. When John came home, and found Adam, Carter had given her father the note attached to Adam, and his face blanked over. “Winchester number four.” That was all he said. No grand explanation, nothing.

 

Adam never had a car seat, a crib, or a blanket made by his mother. The blanket he had was the last one Mary had ever made, it had been passed down through all the Winchester children. Dean’s name was embroidered on it, then under his Carters, and under her’s was Sammy’s. Eventually Carter had shakily embroidered his name to the list. And even further down the line she embroidered Ben’s name - by that point she had become quite the needleworker.

 

Adam rubbed his fingers over the fabric every once in awhile and would chuckle to himself. His older sister at eight could take on a vampire by herself, but had cried while trying her damndest to sew his name in cursive on the corner of the blanket.

 

His first memory, was on Carter’s hip. Dean was probably 15, to Carter’s 13, and Sam’s 11. It was Thanksgiving, and John was missing. Dean and Carter had managed to round up as much food as they could, but… it wasn’t much. To be honest, he couldn’t remember Carter or Dean eating for that matter, but they told him it was a celebration. 

 

The importance of this memory comes from realizing who his parents where. And his parents were never Amelia Smith and John Winchester. His parent’s were his older siblings, Dean and Carter. They were Sam’s parents too, whether his older brother knew it or not. 

 

-/-

 

Ben was the runt of the family. John had said it a thousand times over. His mother, Lisa Braeden was Dean’s first and only serious mistake. The one time in his life Dean had ran away, he had met beautiful 17 year old Lisa. He was 19 at the time, and had left almost 17 year old Carter in charge. Their father was gone again, for God knows how long. 

 

Dean had not ran far, just two towns over, and eventually he crawled into Lisa’s bed. Ben remembered his mom somewhat. She had darker skin, and brown hair, brown eyes, and a smile that twinkled. It had taken her three years after he was born to track down Dean. Once more, it was Carter who met the child and it’s unwanting mother at the door. “I don’t want him, but he’s a damn Winchester.” Lisa had snarled.

Ben remember Carter taking him in her arms, and handing him off to Sammy, remembered Carter calmly saying, “Take your brothers, Sammy, go on into the bedroom. Lisa, your the girl Dean… had a fling with, right?” Carter had asked, Ben didn’t hear anything else.

 

When he woke up the next morning, John Winchester hugged him to his chest, and said, “Welcome home, son. I love you, sorry it took your mom so long to find me. This is you older brother Dean, your sister Carter, your brother Sammy, and that is your brother Adam.”

 

Ben liked Adam and Sammy the best. Dean was out with their father a lot, and Carter had to run the house, well motel room, with rules. She was teacher, judge, jury, all of it. When their father came home she always had to report into him. Ben knew nine languages by the time he was seven. Sam left around the time he was six, an argument in one of the rare houses they stayed at. Sam was going some place called Stanford, and Ben really wanted to go with him. 

 

The first time that Ben really noticed Carter or Dean, it was after his seventh birthday. They were arguing loudly with their father. Something about a witch. Sam had made sure Ben knew all about the world of monsters, Sam and Adam had taught him how to clean and repair his guns, knives, and boots. 

 

Carter had tears streaming down her face, and Dean looked pissed. Adam was crying hard, his head on Dean’s shoulder. “Ben, would you like to go on a hunt with me?” His father asked.

 

Finally this was his moment. Adam had not even been allowed to go on a hunt yet. “Yes, father, let me get my bag!” Ben had declared. That had been a mistake. That was the night he learned what he ment to his father, he was just as disposable as Sam. 

 

It was Carter who held him and rocked him, who soothed him while his head pounded and his ears bled, it was Dean and Adam who found a spell to cure whatever the witch had done. It was Carter whose tears ran down her face and on to his, whose blood he felt on him more than his own. It was Carter, who chanted the Aramaic spell, and it was Carter who realized he was going deaf.

 

Adam and Carter took care the next two weeks, stealing all the books on sign language they could. Together with Dean they taught themselves then taught Ben. John refused to learn, refused for months to look at the child he had almost lost in his blind hunt for the supernatural entity that destroyed his wife. This would be the first of many failures.

 

-/-

 

“So. You two go play cops and we will dig through town history, the victims, and any kind of baddy it could be.” Carter suggested.

 

Sam sighed. Wondering if either of his older siblings ever got tired of the life. Both seemed more than happy to ‘play through the pain’ as his father would have called it. He looked back at Carter one more time, as she ruffled Ben's hair and patted Adam’s shoulder. He remembered when she had done both to him. A sadness welled inside of him he had not thought about in years. Before he could think about it he launched himself at Carter. 

 

Holding his older sister tight to him he smiled, she was tiny compared to his, Deans and even Adam's much broader and taller forms. Crushing her in a hug felt right, made him think of all the times she wrote him or dropped him postcards. It was a game they played, just the two of them. Always coordinance, monster name, and the word success of fail on the bottom. Sometimes she wrote proud moments in a code all their own. Ben's first kill. Adams first kiss. Dean's first time getting hit on by a guy. Her first time. Little tidbits of information. She never wrote about John. It was an unspoken rule. 

 

Jess had even loved playing the coordinance games. They'd track Winchester movements across America based on them, to a point it was almost like being with her. Then Adam had started the game. Sending his own coordinance. That had scared Sammy, but he realized now that Adam must have went with Dean looking for their father while Carter continued to hunt, dragging Ben along with her. Forever on a mission. 

 

Sam released her finally, when he realized she was struggling to breathe, then headed out after Dean. 

“Think you cracked a rib, Lurch,” she snarled after him.

 

“Pygmy.” He called back.

 

“Tatertot can we get some food?” Adam asked, nodding his head towards Ben who was actively signing, his fingers moving almost too fast for Carter to keep up.

 

“Your right this is the only hotel in town. We should ask if dad was here.” Carter agreed. “And then get some food.” 

 

“We walking?” Ben asked his hands moving again. 

 

“YES.” Adam supplied.

 

-/-

 

Ben could read lips. It was a good thing. He could also read body language. And his sisters spoke volumes. Her hands we're knuckle white on the bar, as she held on. Adam was a step behind her, and Ben was tucked beside him. A man, whose name either wasn't said or hadn't been said in his direction, was hovering a bit too close for Carter to like. She wasn't interested, even Ben could see that. Her body and face practically shouting it, but the man didn't let up.

 

The man made a fatal mistake the moment Adam looked away, he ran his hand up Carter's thigh. Any chance of her not breaking bad on the idiot was gone, Ben sighed. He thumbed his fingers on the bar and watched as Carter punched the man. Adam didn't intercede. Carter had enough force in her punch the drunken man ended up flat on his ass, looking up at Carter.

 

Next think Ben knew their food was packed up to go and they we're out in the night air. Carter always the mother, zipped his jacket up and looked pointedly at Adam, who scrambled to zip his up to. She tucked her flannel button up tighter to her form. She didn't have a jacket, Ben has outgrew his last one so she had handed hers down to him.

 

-/-

 

When Dean and Sam made their way back to the hotel, they had with them their dad’s journal. All Hunter’s kept one, it was the only way they knew for sure that their lives were not ended in vain. “The station has this, dad just took off, left everything in his hotel room.” Dean offered, dropping it on the table where Carter sat.

 

“Adam and Ben are asleep, hush.” She ordered them both, then flipped through the journal. “Been reading up, and based on the area and crimes… I think we are dealing with a Lady in White.” She paused. “Look, dad dogeared that section of his journal. Vengeful/fearful mothers.”

 

“Any crimes match that?” Sam asked, sinking down and rummaging through the bag of food she presented to him and Dean.

 

“Actually, yes.” Carter mused. “A woman, killed her children, then herself. Husband survived.”

 

“Hm. Might be a lead, we got a name?” Dean asked.

 

“Constance Welch” Carter started. “Says here she drowned her children in their bathtub, then jumped off… oh, you're going to love this Dean - jumped off the bridge just past where all the men have been disappearing from.” 

 

“Think we ought to check that out?” Sam mused.

 

“Nah, I’ll take the bridge, me and Adam. You guys get some rest, ok?” Carter stood, and bumped Adam’s leg, the boy shot up in bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Come on lurch jr, let’s go.” She ushered him out the door, grabbing keys off the table for Baby.

 

“You let her drive Baby?” Sam asked, eyebrows wiggled.

 

“Have to, been shot too many times or otherwise injured. Can’t rely on Adam.” Dean chuckled.

 

“Guess we better get some sleep.” Sam muttered.

 

-/-

 

“So this is the bridge.” Carter looked at Adam, who nodded. They walked the length of the bridge, just in time they turned around to see a woman dressed in white jump from the bridge. “HEY!” Carter took of running, in an attempt to stop her.

 

“CARTER!” Adam screamed, running after her, pointing behind them. 

 

“Who's driving Baby?” She dove as the bridge opened up to the road, her elbows crashing onto gravel. Adam thundered down right behind her, his lanky form slamming into her, both hit the water, and looked up horrified as Baby came to a stop off the bridge. 

 

“Shit.” Adam groaned, standing, pulling Carter up with him.

 

“Shit is right.” Carter brushed some of the dirt and debris from her, and looked around. “Guess we should tell Dean and Sam that we are definitely dealing with a woman in white.”

 

“You think Sam is going to come back? For reals?” Adam asked as they made their way back up the ravine, he watched Carter’s shoulders shrug.

 

“Maybe, maybe not. Depends on if he remembers that it's not about hunting, at least not for us, it's about family.” Carter brushed her hands down her front once more, then climbed behind the driver's seat, Adam 

climbed into the passenger side, and looked across at her.

 

“We always end up hurt.” She even had to laugh at that.

 

-/-

 

The sun was coming up, and neither Carter nor Adam were back yet. Dean slipped out to buy some much needed breakfast for Sam and Ben. The night before the cop at the station had given him quite the look when he presented his ID, and inquired about John - as if he were a drifter. The cop he had talked to seemed to think that John was connected to the recent disappearances some how.

 

Dean was not surprised, or at least not as much as he might have been in the past, when said cop arrested him. “Just wanna talk to you.” The cop muttered. Dean checked behind him to the hotel room. Sam was watching out the window, a slightly confused expression on his face, but he nodded.

 

-/-

 

Sam watched his brother get dragged away in cuffs, and sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. Somethings never change. By the time Carter and Adam got back, still dripping wet, and looking a little scrape up, Dean had used his one phone call to call Sammy. “Dean got arrested.”

 

“What?” Carter’s eyebrows furrowed, and a familiar face of disapproval tugged at her expression.

 

“Yea, remember last night when we went to the station, apparently Dad must have had a picture of several of you guys in his room when the cops cleaned it out, he was poking around too.” Sam offered.

 

“Alright, did he say anything important when he called?” Adam asked, still toweling himself off.

 

“Yeah, got an address for the husband.” Sam stated.

 

“Adam, you and Ben stay here. Sam and I are going to take care of this.” Carter declared.

 

-/-

 

Steve, Constance’s husband, was not very honest. In his marriage or as he stood before Sam and Carter. Finally he told them that he had been having and affair, and that Constance had found out. He eventually gave them the location of the cemetery and their old house. Back in the car, Carter whipped out her phone, “Hi, I’d like to report a breakin.” She lied, sending most of the police force to the other end of town. Once she was done, “Drop me at the cemetery, Dean should be out and I already texted him the address for the house.” Sam watched his sister climb out of the car, shotgun strapped to her hip, can of gas tucked under her arm, and a bag of salt in her free hand.

 

Sam turned away from the cemetery and headed straight for Constance’s house. His eyes darted frantically to her form when he saw her on the side of the road. He stopped, and allowed her in. “Why don’t you take me home, where I can repay you for the ride.” She tried.

 

Sam just shook his head, “No thank you ma’am. I’ll just drop you off, I have a girlfriend.”

 

The ghost of Constance sneered at him, but possessed the car anyway, speeding up its traction and heading them towards the house. Once there, Constance winked at Sam, “Why don’t you come on in, big boy.” Again Sam said no, Constance surged at him.

 

A gunshot rocked the night, and Sam had to smile. Dean and Adam were both there. Dean shot her with rock salt, even as Adam moved to open the car door, it wouldn’t open, Sam exhaled and felt the chill once more surround him. Not really thinking, he slammed his foot down on the peddle, and the car surged into the house, carrying the angry ghost with it.

 

Carter, who apparently had ran all the way from the cemetery, surged forward at the last moment, knocking Adam out of the way from some of the debris that shattered from the rafters. As they moved into the house Constance appeared. She surged first at Carter, who shot her back with rock salt, then at Adam, who she knocked down. The patter of little feet caused them all the pause. Before the children appeared, however, Constance flicked her arm, throwing Dean against the far wall.

 

Two children, holding hands, came down the stairs. They embraced their mother, wrapping her tight between them, Constance’s spirit howled in pain as dark shadows spawned from around her, dragging the trio through the floor. Sam helped Dean up from the floor, where the last surge of energy had sent him sprawled out on his butt, as Carter helped Adam up. 

 

“Let’s get you home, Sam. We have a long way to go, from Jericho.” Carter didn’t even look back at him. Already Dean, Adam and her were pushing the Impala from the wreckage of the house. “Let’s pick up Ben and get out of here.”

 

-/-

 

The Triumph was destroyed, she learned when they made it back to the hotel. Dean had wrecked it when he and Adam had used to to meet them at Constance’s house. It was literally in three pieces. She glared daggers at her brothers, but climbed into the middle seat in the back, her father’s journal on her lap. Flashlight held in her mouth as she read over the pages, Ben with his head on her shoulder, and Adam with his head resting against her cheek. She frowned. “Dean, coordiance were left here 35-11.” 

 

“Maybe that is where he went?” Dean asked.

 

“I bet, he’d never just leave. There is one for me too, Carter… oh these are the coordinance for Uncle Bobby’s house. I think he wanted us to stop there.” Carter muttered.

 

“Ok, let’s drop Sammy off and head towards my coordinance.” Dean decided.

 

Sammy frowned. “It’s not that I don’t love you guys.”

 

“We know.” Carter sighed. “You just, don’t want this life anymore.”

 

“Carter…” He looked back but she was decidedly ignoring him, pouring over information in the journal.

 

-/-

 

He had eight hours, once they got back to Stanford, to study for his exam. Carter was fast asleep in the back, her head resting on Adam’s shoulder, and Adam’s head resting on hers, Ben was tucked to her side, his head on her shoulder, and a flannel blanket stretched over them all. Sam rushed out of the car, looking back at Dean, “Let me know when you find him, ok?”

 

“Sure thing, Sammy. We won’t bother you again, ok?” Dean sped the car away, Sam was hurt, so hurt. How was it three days with his siblings and he almost felt like it would be worth throwing away everything he had worked hard for here at Stanford, including Jess.

 

He let himself into their apartment, dropping his bag at the door, and kicking his shoes off. He found a plate of cookies on the table with a note, “Missed you, Sam. I love you, love Jess.” He smiled to himself and grabbed one, biting into it as he shed his his jacket.

 

He made his way to bedroom, and dropped on to the bed. Eyes closed, he continued munching on his cookie, he felt something drip onto his forehead, and looked up. On the ceiling above him, Jessica was withering in pain, her abdomen cut open, and that’s when the flames erupted. Sam screamed.

 

-/-

 

Carter had detangled herself from her brothers, and climbed into the front seat, right as the police radio went off. “Dean, the fire is at Sam’s building. Let’s go!” She ordered.

 

Dean cut Baby hard, and the back end seemed to slide as they pulled the u-turn. The force woke both Adam and Ben, who looked confused. By the time they made it back, Sam was standing on the curb, his head hung low. Carter surged out off the Impala before it was even stopped, she rushed to Sam. 

 

“Sammy.” He looked at his older, smaller sister, and she could see the pain etched into his face, he dropped to his knees, and she wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head in her arms. “Shhh, what happened?”

 

“Jess, she was… fire… ceiling… monster.” He muttered the words, pained sobbing. 

 

By now Dean, Adam, and Ben had joined them. “The monster that killed mom got Jess.” Carter whispered low. Dean’s fist clenched, and Adam tentatively reached forward, to pat Sam on the head. Ben joined the hug. “Shhhh. Sammy, come on, let’s get a move on, ok. The longer we stay here the longer the cops are going to want to question you.”

 

Sam nodded against her, but couldn’t move. Adam and Dean shouldered Sam’s weight and drug him back to the car. They slid him into the back seat, with Ben in the middle. For a long time no one spoke, except Carter as she navigated them towards the coordinance left behind by John Winchester.

 

\---------------------------------

 

“Anything?” Sam asked, curiously.

 

“No, we are no closer to the monster that took mom than when we were babies.” Carter groaned.

 

“Blackwater Ridge, Colorado - there is a case there.” Adam told them.

 

“You sure?” Dean asked, understanding Sam’s need to continue researching Jess’s death.

 

“Yup. Disappearances in a park system, date back years.” Adam muttered.

 

“Are you sure it’s weird enough, I mean people disappear in the woods all the time.” Carter grumbled. She was still a little upset about losing her bike. The five of them in the Impala was cramped at best. At least none of them got car sick, a by product if she had to guess of them basically growing up in the Impala.

 

“Dad’s journal mentioned Blackwater Ridge, and disappearances since 1936, but he hadn’t been out that way to check it out…” Adam grumbled.

 

“Fine!” Sam said suddenly, “Let’s go.”

 

“Ben, can you find out all there is to know about Blackwater Ridge, Colorado?” Carter signed to the boy next to her, pushing the laptop into his lap, then tilted her head back. “Can we get food?”

 

-/-

 

“Looks like a wendigo.” Ben signed, having to spell out wendigo.

 

“He’s right.” Carter agreed, they had met the sister, Haley, of one of the recent missing boys, and she had a video from the last night he checked in. “The noises line up. Adam you and Ben stay down here, ok. Keep the food warm!” Carter was sort of amazed Dean had not tried to sleep with Haley, yet.

 

“You're going?” Sam asked.

 

“Of course, you too goofs alone in the woods, no thank you, someone has to watch out for you assholes.” She muttered. They were completely prepared until of course said sister of missing boy, a real park ranger, and two other men appeared. “Great.” She muttered.

 

“You're going into the woods like that?” The guide asked.

 

Carter looked down at her clothes, black combat boots her skinny jeans tucked into them, a black tank top, a blue and black flannel over top of that, her hair in a messy bun, and gun tucked into the back of her pants. Sammy had on work boots, blue jeans, a plaid longsleeve shirt, a thicker jacket, gun tucked into his pants as well. Then her eyes scanned Dean, tight work pants, similar work boots, black t-shirt, with jacket over it, and a canvas bag full of goodies over his shoulder, gun in the waistband of his pants. “Sure.” Carter bit back.

 

-/-

 

“We told them we would be back before dark.” Dean snarled, worry on his face. Already two members of their group had been picked off. The elder Winchester's, the sister and brother of the missing man all that was left. 

 

“Dean, shut up.” Sam snarled. “They will be fine.”

 

“DEAN!” Carter had scouted ahead, her voice echoed through the trees, by the time they reached her location, she was gone, and her gun discarded on the forest floor.

 

“Great.” Dean snarled.

 

“Look, Dean, she left marks.” Sure enough, Carter had drug her feet or something on the ground as she was carried away. “Ok, let’s move.”

 

Abandoned mines were sure nifty, if you were a monster. Tracking had taken a lot of time and the sun was starting to rise by the time they reached the opening. Once inside, they found Carter had already sprung herself from her binds and was helping the one remaining captive down. They torched the whole mine, and led the other three out of the woods. Carter even rode piggyback on Sam, her ankle injured.

 

\---------------------------------

 

“Dean.” Ben signed. “Found a case.” He spoke even as his fingers moved.

 

“Damn, is everyone but me determined to hunt?” Dean grumbled.

 

“Were no closer to dad or whatever got mom and we have been at this nonstop for weeks, the least we could do is help people.” Carter growled at him. Once again, Dean knew his sister was right, she was the only person who wasn’t afraid to stand up to him and their father.

 

“Ok.” Dean relented. Adam and Sam entered the hotel room, food tucked between them. Sam was starting to learn American Sign Language, it was slow and tedious work. Often Carter or Ben would correct how his fingers were positioned, or the height of his hand when he signed them.

 

“Food time!” Adam sang-songed, handing out cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches. 

 

“Lake Manitoc in Wisconsin for a possible case. Three drownings have occurred there within a year, with the dead bodies mysteriously disappearing in the lake.” Carter explained.

 

“So… Loch Ness monster?” Dean asked, Carter giggled to herself, a sharp elbow to the ribs from Sam silenced her.

 

-/-

 

Research was neither fun nor heroic in her opinion. Sam and Dean were out and about figuring out the local lore, while she, Adam, and Ben were researching information that the brothers sent back to them. “Hey,” Carter said into the phone. “Sifted through every crime report in the library, there is a case from almost 40 years ago. Boy mysteriously drown in the lake, get this… he was camping with three other boys, one of which is the good sheriff.” 

 

Adam looked triumphant, he had found the information after all. On speaker phone, Sam ordered them to meet back at the house where the first victim had lived, a man who had drowned even though he was a medal swimmer.

 

Carter and the boys walked, since Dean had the Impala. “Avenging spirit business always sucks.” Dean muttered as soon as he saw the other three Winchesters.

 

“Dean, you really wanted this to be Nessy, huh?” Sam laughed.

 

“Of course he did, it's something he's always wanted to see.” Carter chuckled.

 

“So, this boy, he wants to hurt those who hurt him, right?” Ben asked, signing.

 

“Yea…” Carter nodded. Soon Ben made friends with Lucas, who was the grandson of the sheriff and son of the first victim. Lucas had decided to be mute, following whatever he had saw when his father died. Decided would probably be the wrong word, more like he was so terrified he lost his voice, permanently. The next several minutes were terrifying, for one the spirit pulled both Ben and Lucas into the murky water. Dean was in the lake before he could be stopped, Carter after him.

 

Sam held Adam back and the daughter of the Sheriff, Andrea “No, that is what the spirit wants.” 

 

Carter and Dean surfaced, then sank back down, feet breaking the water. “I’ll go with you!” A voice bellowed as the sheriff waded out into the water. “Just let those boys go.”

 

The next moment, Carter broke the surface with Ben in her arms, both gasping for air, then Dean with Lucas in his arms, also gasping and sputtering for air. A mirky black patch of water pooled around the sheriff, then drug him under. 

 

Sam and Adam waded out in the water to pull the boys to shore as Carter and Dean shared a look with one another. Ben later told them that the only reason the spirit had both of them was because he had tried to stop the lake child from taking Lucas. 

 

\---------------------------------

 

“Welp, boys. We are officially out of clean clothes.” Carter pinched the bridge of her nose, they were near Little Rock, Arkansas if she had read the road signs correctly. “It’s almost three in the morning, we could stop at a laundromat real quick. I think we only have two outfits each, so…”

 

“Your serious?” Dean asked, sighing.

 

“Dean, she has a point, we don’t have unlimited clothes, and the last couple of hotels we’ve crashed at have not had laundry machines.” Sam muttered.

 

“My shirt smells.” Adam added. “Here, smell it.” Adam dramatically surged forward wiping his shirt off and wrapping it around Dean’s nose and mouth.

 

“FUCK!” Dean snapped. “That… were stopping.”

 

So they sat around a table in the laundry mat. All the boys in boxers, and Carter in a plain white t-shirt that belonged to Sam, that almost worked like a dress on her. All their clothing, jackets, and their flannel blanket that had all five of their names embroidered on it - three names with care, one name with shaky hands of someone unfamiliar with the sport, and the last one with determined strokes of someone who clearly had years of practice stitching up her siblings.

 

They were playing a card game, and the clock read 3:45 am. Ben yawned, his whole body stretching out as he did. Exhaustion was common in their line of work. “So, are you going back to Stanford, once we ice whatever killed Jess and mom?” Adam asked out of nowhere, his eyes on Sam.

 

“I don’t honestly know.” Sam offered, his hair was getting messy, choppy.

 

“Want a haircut?” Carter asked off-handedly as he attempted to push it from his face again.

 

“Nah.” Sam muttered, relaxing as his sister carded her fingers through his hair.

 

“I do.” Dean chimed, looking at her expectantly.

 

“Fine, I fold. I’ll run out to the car and get the clippers.” With that she dropped her cards and headed outside.

 

“Sammy, she never offers to cut our hair, you should let her at least trim yours.” Adam grumbled. It was true, none of them had had a haircut since John had vanished, he was the one who demanded they keep it short and buzzed, Carter on the other hand had to have long enough hair to pull back into a ponytail. 

 

When Carter marched back in, clippers, guards, and scissors cradled under her arms, Sam looked at her. “I think I want you to trim my bangs, on second thought.”

 

“Good!” Carter cheered. They still had about thirty minutes of drying to do, so she should have more than enough time. She started with Ben, then Dean, then trimmed Adam’s locks - he never looked good with it cut as short as Deans, then she trimmed Sammy’s bangs, framing his face. Afterwards she headed to the bathroom, to trim her own bangs. Sam watched as Adam followed her, through the crack of the door he could see his younger brother thoughtfully trimming his sister’s hair. Sam frowned, wondering when Adam had started helping her, that used to be his job.

 

His heart hurt at how much in his absence Adam had replaced him, he wondered if it was out of want or necessity. Sam seemed to be the only one who really knew that their father only looked after Dean and Carter. They were the two chosen children, John knew he could rely on them. 

 

“Carter.” Sam caught his sister’s wrist and tugged her back. “How come you never left, I mean you're just as smart as me, probably smarter.”

 

The other three were listening now. “Sammy, my dear sweet Sammy.” She rubbed his cheek. “After you left, what Dad said to you, I couldn’t… that would have killed me, you're stronger than me, I would have… died I guess, knowing that I couldn’t come back.”

 

Sam frowned. “So you stayed because you didn’t wanna start new?”

 

“No, Sammy, I stayed because I am a coward, and with you gone, I needed to know that Ben and Adam were taken care of, and Dean, you were Dean’s second in command, I was just a babysitter, then.” Carter offered.

 

Sam felt the knife in his gut wrench a little more. He had left his sister, and that at the time had bothered him more than his brothers, it was not until some time after he left that he thought about how selfish he had been. Leaving behind two younger siblings that needed support and leaving behind two older siblings who were soldiers in a war they didn’t understand.

 

“I’m sorry.” Sam whispered. Carter hugged him, and rubbed his head affectionately. 

 

“Get Ben for me, would you?” She asked, nodding in Ben’s direction. He was fast asleep, Sam pulled on his bluejeans, grunting at the hotness of the zipper against his flesh, then his socks and boots, tugging on a flannel last, before wrapping Ben up in the blanket and carrying him to the car. 

 

Moments later the others arrived, Carter had a bag slung over her shoulder, probably their clean clothes. Carter took a seat in the front this time, map spread across her lap, flashlight in her mouth. Dean behind the wheel, he changed out the cassette, to CCR, and winked at his sister. 

 

Ben was stretched out over Sam and Adam’s laps in the backseat, Sam’s face pressed against the window and Adam’s head pressed against Sam’s shoulder. Sam could see why Carter was not a fan of sitting in the back. 

 

\---------------------------------

 

Sam’s nightmares had gotten the worst of them all after the laundry mat. Carter had eventually pulled Ben into the front seat with her, and cuddled up together. Sam had then fought sleep for as long as he could. Dean had watched him in the rearview concern on his face. 

 

They drove for the next couple of hours, as the sun rose Dean’s phone rang. “Dean, Dean Winchester? I have something that might be up your alley.” 

 

“Who is this?” Dean asked, cautiously.

 

“Dean, it's, uh, it's Jerry Panowski. You and your dad helped me out a couple years back.” The voice warbled a little on the phone.

 

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, then continued on: “Oh, right, yeah. Up in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, the poltergeist thing. It's not back, is it?”

 

“No. No. Thank god, no. But it's something else, and...uh, I think it could be a lot worse.” Jerry seemed to be on edge, something in his voice spoke to volumes of panic. Carter shrugged her shoulders when Sam mouthed ‘where you with them?’ to her.

 

“What is it?” Dean was too damn tired for riddles this morning, his confusion and worry for Sam mounting with each day that passed that they were no closer to solving Jess’s case. Or their mothers. Or finding their father.

 

“Can we talk in person?” Jerry asked.

 

Dean looked around at the others, finally it is Carter who answered. “Where should we meet you?”

 

“Carter - I didn’t know you were still hunting!” Jerry sounded excited for a moment, “My airport hanger? Where I work?”

 

-/-

 

“Thanks for making the trip so quick. I ought to be doing you guys a favor, not the other way around. Dean and your dad really helped me out.” Jerry looked nervous, constantly fidgeting. Carter held Ben’s hand in hers, and Adam trailed behind. 

 

“Yeah, he told me. It was a poltergeist?” Sam responded. Dean was raiding the food stand, Sam talking to Jerry.

 

“Poltergeist? Man, I loved that movie.” One of the many workers almost shouted as he walked past the group.

 

Carter rolled her eyes even as Jerry spoke again, “Hey, nobody's talking to you. Keep walking. Damn right it was a poltergeist, practically tore our house apart. Tell you something, if it wasn't for your siblings and your dad, I probably wouldn't be alive. Your dad said you were off at college. Is that right?”

 

“Yea, I… I am taking a break.” Sam deadpanned.

 

“Well, he was real proud of you. I could tell. He talked about you all the time.” Jerry informed Sam.

Sam had to pause there, Carter snorted under her breath. Their father was proud of Sam, proud of him for standing up for what he believed in, and for doing what he wanted to do even if it wasn’t staying with them to hunt. “He did?”

 

“Yeah, you bet he did. Oh, hey, you know I tried to get a hold of him, but I couldn't. How's he doing, anyway?” Jerry smiled seeing Dean had rejoined them.

 

“He’s caught up in a job right now.” Dean supplied, a raised eyebrow to indicate the same kind of job.

 

“On his own, I thought you or Carter were always with him.” Jerry mused.

 

“Special job, needed someone with experience, he roped one of his buddies into helping.” Carter lied.

 

“Well, we're missing the old man, but we get Sam. Even trade, huh?” Jerry laughed.

 

Carter, Adam, and Ben smiled as Dean chuckled. “You bet it is.” Dean said finally.

 

Sam blushed, “No, not by a long shot. Dad is way better…” Carter elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to shut up, he looked down at his older sister and saw a smile twitch on her lips. Clearly she was trying to tell him to just take the compliment.

 

“I got something I want you guys to hear.” He led them into his office, then shut the door. “When I heard this, I thought of you guys.” He popped a disc into the computer, then “Normally I wouldn't have access to this. It's the cockpit voice recorder for United Britannia flight 2485. It was one of ours.”

 

The five Winchesters gathered around, even Ben, who was relying on Adam’s signing to keep up with the conversation at this point. Adam was not nearly as fast as Carter when it came to talking with his fingers, but he did his best. Jerry pressed play, and they listened intently. “Mayday! Mayday! Repeat! This is United Britannia 2485—immediate instruction help! United Britanis 2485, I copy your message—May be experiencing some mechanical failure…” As the talking stopped a loud whooshing noise seemed to break through, then nothing.

 

“Took off from here, crashed about two hundred miles south. Now, they're saying mechanical failure. Cabin depressurized somehow. Nobody knows why. Over a hundred people on board. Only seven got out alive. Pilot was one. His name is Chuck Lambert. He's a good friend of mine. Chuck is, uh...well, he's pretty broken up about it. Like it was his fault.” Jerry explained to them.

 

“And you don’t think it was?” Adam asked, carefully hovering next to Ben, fingers still moving. 

 

“No, I don't.” Jerry admitted, tucking his hands in his pockets, and looking between Dean and Carter.

 

“Jerry, we're gonna need passenger manifests, um, a list of survivors.” Sam said after a moment, Carter nodded.

 

“All right.” Already Jerry’s fingers were striking keys on the computer.

 

“And...uh, any way we can take a look at the wreckage?” Dean asked, sipping on the coffee he had managed to nick.

 

“The other stuff is no problem. But the wreckage...fellas, the NTSB has it locked down in an evidence warehouse. No way I've got that kind of clearance.” Jerry confessed.

 

“No sweat.” Adam laughed. “We have ninjas on our team, Carter and Ben can get in and out without anyone noticing them, they are so small.”

 

Ben huffed at that then said, “I’ll be bigger than you and Lurch when I am all grown up.”

 

“Don’t let them fret you, Ben, your dad always said you were the scrappiest.” Jerry ruffled his hair.

 

-/-

 

Dean carefully handed Carter something, and when he saw Sam’s expression he responded, “It's an EMF meter. Reads electromagnetic frequencies.”

 

Sam rolled his eyes then said, “Yeah, I know what an EMF meter is, but why does that one look like a busted-up walkman?”

 

Dean whirled completely around, eyes locking on Sam’s, “'Cause that's what I made it out of. It's homemade.” He smiled wild, like it was the best thing in the world. 

 

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, I can see that.” Carter elbowed him hard in the ribs, clicking her tongue as Dean frowned and turned away from them.

 

“Dean made one for him, one for Adam, and a special one for Ben that vibrates so he can feel it instead of hear it. I had one but it seems to have disappeared when dad did.” With that Carter led Ben through the fence, then from the fence into the closed hanger. Getting inside was easier than she expected, with all the alarm systems that were supposed to be guarding this place. “There was EVP on the tape, Ben, it kept saying no survivors.”

 

They sifted through the wreckage, finding marks on the emergency exit. Carter heard the door being scraped open, and grabbed Ben, pulling him back to the edge of the building, and then out the exit door. 

 

-/-

 

“Found this inside.” Ben informed them, holding a yellow powder between his gloved hands.

Dean offered him a ziplock bag quickly, then they headed towards Jerry.

 

“Your right, Carter, it is definitely Sulfur, good call!” Jerry smiled at them, a commotion outside he ducked out of the office quickly.

 

Dean smiled then tapped his chin. “Hmm. You know, there's not too many things that leave behind a sulfuric residue.”

 

Adam looked between his older siblings, clearly Carter and Dean were waiting on someone other than them to reach the same conclusion, so he opened his mouth, and asked, “Demonic possession?”

 

Dean beamed at him, in a small proud smile. “It would explain how a mortal man would have the strength to open up an emergency hatch.”

 

Sam didn’t look completely convinced, but agreed after a moment, “If the guy was possessed, it's possible.”

 

“Well, this is new.” Carter grumbled. “Changes the game up a bit, huh?”

 

“Your right, Tatertot, this goes way beyond floating over a bed or barfing pea soup. I mean it's one thing to possess a person, but to use them to take down an entire airplane?” Dean hummed. 

 

Sam looked baffled, “You ever heard of something like this before?”

 

Dean and Carter looked between themselves, “Never.”

 

-/-

 

“This is stupid.” Carter snarled.

 

“Dean and I go up, you three stay down.” Sam stated the plan once more.

 

“Dean is afraid of heights, like you're afraid of clowns, Adam is afraid of puppets, Ben is afraid of witches, and I am afraid of dragons… come on now…” Carter looked worried.

 

“Tatertot, we will be fine.” Sam promised, squeezing her shoulders, before man-handling Dean onto the flight. He had to hand it to his sister, she knew the most about all the boys, and she worked hard to keep them from coming face to face with their fears.

 

“YOU BEST BE!” She screamed after them.

 

-/-

 

“Might be a first.” Carter joked. “Exorcising a demon at 30,000 feet.”

 

“Shut up.” Dean growled.

 

“Dean, everyone chokes, no big deal.” Adam singsonged.

 

“Shut it brat.” Dean snapped.

 

“Aw, come on, Beany you give him a hard time about puppets.” Ben signed.

 

“And me about dragons, cause they aren't real and all.” Carter grumbled, a small shiver running down her spine.

 

“Fine, alright, I was scared.” Dean admitted it, and looked between his siblings.

 

Soon, Jerry joined them, shaking their hands, and hugging Carter. “Nobody knows what you guys did, but I do. A lot of people could have been killed.”

 

“It’s what we do.” Carter mumbled.

 

“Your dad's gonna be real proud.” Jerry continued.

 

Not used to being praised all five Winchester children sort of shuffled their feet, and waited for someone to speak. Finally Sam said something, “We'll see you around, Jerry.”

 

Carter hoped they wouldn’t, they don’t get many repeat offenders. Dean started to head off, pushing the younger ones along, when he paused and looked back to Jerry, “You know, Jerry.”

 

“Yeah?” The older man asked.

 

“I meant to ask you, how did you get my cellphone number, anyway? I've only had it for like six months.” Dean asked, cautiously. They had all gotten new burner phones, and texted their new numbers to all the phones their dad usual kept. 

 

“Your dad gave it to me.” Jerry watched confused as all five whirle around.

 

“What?” Even Ben could tell this was big news, Adam had been signing the conversation to him.

 

“When did you talk to him?” Sam and Carter asked at almost the same time.

 

“I mean, I didn't exactly talk to him, but I called his number. His voice message said to give you a call. Thanks again, guys.” Then Jerry was gone.

Once all the kids were loaded into the Impala, Sam dug out his phone and called John’s number. “This is John Winchester. I can't be reached. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean. 785-555-0179. He can help. OR call my daughter Carter. 785-555-0521. She can help.”


	2. Hey Jude

“Where to now?” Adam asked nonchalantly from the back of the Impala. For once Ben was in the middle and Carter had the window on her side down. Sam was in the front seat, with Carter behind him, and Adam’s long legs were stretched awkwardly behind the middle front seat, so he had more room. Ben’s legs were folded under him, indian style, which caused his bony knees to be jabbing both his older siblings in their thighs. Dean had the radio turned up, Metallica blaring, and his hand out the window. It had been over a week since they realized John was at least alive, and they were not hunting his ghost.

 

“Well,” Sam shouted over the radio. “There is a possible case, man with his eyes burned out in Toledo, Ohio.” 

 

“OHIO?” Carter screamed, prompting Dean to turn the radio down.

 

“Toledo.” Sam repeated. “Why?”

 

“Carter has a boyfriend there.” Dean laughed.

 

“It’s not like that, Beany.” Carter snarled.

 

“Ohio.” Sam rubbed his chin. “That is the postcard you sent me about your v-card, right?”

 

“SAM!” Carter smacked Sam in the back of the head.

 

Dean couldn’t help it, he started laughing. “You slept with that wimp?”

 

“That wimp was a quarterback, and we saved his family from ghouls.” Sam could tell in her voice she was pouting as she leaned back in her seat. “He lives in Cincinnati, so no worries about going to see him.”

 

Adam came to his sister's rescue, “What else about it makes it sound like a case we want?”

 

“Eyes burned out wasn’t enough?” Dean turned the music back up and headed the car towards Toledo.

 

-/-

 

For the first time in weeks they found themselves in a hotel. Adam on the far side of one bed, with Ben in the middle, and Dean on the outside. Carter was fast asleep against the wall, leaving Sam the spot by the nightlight, and closest to Dean. When Sam finally fell into sleep, his dreams were plagued with visions of Jessica and his mother both on his ceiling, dying together. Carter was shaking him, her voice resounding in his brain some time later. “SAMMY IT'S A DREAM!” Her hands still tight on his shoulders, Dean surged up in bed, slamming his hands onto Sam’s chest.

 

“Come on man, wake up!”

 

Slowly Sam’s eyes fluttered open. His two older siblings were hovering over him, concern written on both their faces. “Nightmare.” Sam says, shoving them both off. The sun is starting to rise.

 

“You know, sooner or later we're going to have to talk about this.” Carter told him, but he was already headed out the door to run.

 

Carter sighed, Dean frowned. “We can get him through it can’t we?”

 

“I dunno, man, he’s consumed with his only focus, which is revenge.” Dean cast a cautious look back to see Ben and Adam still asleep. 

 

“Let’s go round up some breakfast.”

 

-/-

 

After Sam and Dean checked out the morgue they returned home to the motel. Funny how these crappy two bedrooms are referred to by them as home, as much as they refer to Baby as home. Sam was through the door first, eyeing his sister on the bed, laptop on her knees. For once she had a summer dress on and her hair looked brushed. Ben was watching cartoons with the closed captions on, reading along and laughing at some things. Adam had several books sprawled across the bed, and their father’s journal open on his knees. “Might not be one of ours. Might just be some freak medical thing.” Sam declares, all three look up.

 

Dean rolled his eyes, “How many times in Dad’s long and varied career has it actually been a freak medical thing and not some sign of an awful supernatural death?”

 

It’s an open question for the whole room. “Never.” They all said at once.

 

-/-

 

Supernatural baddie killing folks, check. After much research, it was Carter who turned up the most important lead, after a nice teenager who thought Dean was cute explained that everyone who was killed had been in the house with someone who said Bloody Mary three times in the bathroom.

 

“Is that like Beetlejuice?” Ben asked cautiously.

 

“I don’t think so… is Beetlejuice real?” Adam teased.

 

Carter rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed. “Alright, focus, Dean and Sam need us to figure this out.”

 

“Say it is her,” Ben starts, “How do they ice her?”

 

“No idea… but a legend this widespread it's hard. I mean, there's like 50 versions of who she actually is. One story says she's a witch, another says she's a mutilated bride, there's a lot more…” Carter is leafing through several books of lore.

 

“So, anything they all share?” Adam ask his sister.

 

“Every version got a few things in common. It's always a woman named Mary, and she always dies right in front of a mirror. So we've gotta search local newspapers—public records as far back as they go. See if we can find a Mary who fits the bill.” Carter offers.

 

“So we head to the library?” Adam ask.

 

“Yup, Ben you coming or staying?”

 

“Going.” Ben signs, and follows his older sister.

 

“We think we might have a lead, going to go check it out.” Carter tells Dean’s voicemail.

 

At the library, however, they hit a dead end. “Anything?” Dean ask Adam. Dean was on speakerphone, Sam beside him, waiting to hear what they had dug up.

 

Ben was reading a book off to his own, Slaughterhouse Five, and she was not about to disturb him. “No. I've looked at everything. A few local women, a Laura and a Catherine committed suicide in front of a mirror, and a giant mirror fell on a guy named Dave, but uh, no Mary.” Adam frowned in frustration.

 

“I've also been searching for strange deaths in the area, you know...eyeball bleeding, that sort of thing. There's nothing. Whatever's happening here, maybe it just ain't Mary.” Carter added.

 

“Hold on, one of the girls is calling - Jill maybe?” Dean was gone then, the line dead.

 

“Isn’t he nice.” Adam muttered.

 

Carter rolled her eyes and looked towards Ben, silently she got his attention, then asked, “Do you want that book?”

 

“Yes.” Ben responded. Carter tucked it into jacket, careful to make sure it was wrapped in metal, so it would not set the alarms off.

 

-/-

 

Back at the hotel Dean once more called Carter. “We think we might be onto something.”

 

“The way Mary's choosing her victims, it seems like there's a pattern.” Sam offered.

 

“I know, we have been thinking the same thing.” Adam offered. 

 

“With mister Shoemaker and Jill's hit and run.” Sam started.

 

“Both had secrets where people died.” Dean concluded.

 

“Right. I mean there's a lot of folklore about mirrors-that they reveal all your lies, all your secrets, that they're a true reflection of your soul, which is why it's bad luck to break them.” Carter mused.

 

“Right, right. So maybe if you've got a secret, I mean like a really nasty one where someone died, then Mary sees it, and punishes you for it.” Adam suggested. 

 

“Whether you're the one that summoned her or not.” Sam finished. 

 

“Where are you guys?” Carter asked.

 

“Library, hey Sam, look at this?” Dean drew Sams attention towards whatever.

 

“What are we looking at, some of us our not there.” Adam snapped.

 

“A picture of a woman lying by a mirror in a puddle of blood. And a second picture. This picture is of a handprint and the letters ‘tre’.” Dean offers. 

 

Sam is quiet for a moment, then “Looks like the same handprint.”

 

“Any name?” Carter ask.

 

“Her name was Mary Worthington—an unsolved murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana.” Dean explains.

 

“Guess Adam and I are headed that way.” Carter hung up the phone and looked at Ben. “Stay inside, ok?”

 

-/-

 

“It’s the mirror, she was cremated, but the mirror was recently sold.” Carter almost shouted into the phone. Adam was beside her in the borrowed car, borrowed from the parking lot of a 7-11, laptop on his knees. 

 

“Estate Antiques. A store in Toledo… Shit, Jill’s family bought it.” Adam says into the phone.

 

Dean and Sam share a look as the phone line goes dead. The next thing they know another of the teens, Charlie, is calling them.

 

-/-

 

One vengeful spirit later, and several mirrors destroyed, along with a smart remark from Carter, “Never gonna have good luck again, idjits.” An uneasy silence seems to fill the impala, finally Dean speaks.

 

“Now that it's all over, how about you tell me the secret that she was after you for?” 

 

Sam recoils at the words. “Look, your my brothers, and my sister. I love you and would die for each of you, but somethings are private.” 

 

Dean looks back at Carter, and for now the conversation is dropped. 

 

For the first time that night, Sam sleeps soundly, no nightmares to haunt him, no Jessi dancing in and out of focus in his mind. Just sleep. He wakes up back to back with his sister, and smiles. Some things never change. Since Adam and Ben were little, the sleeping arrangement had always been Dean with the youngest, Sam and Carter together. John always slept in a chair, beer in hand, shotgun across his knees.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Zach was a friend, come on please, Carter, at least look at the stuff.” Dean already shot down the evidence as a case, so now like any child Sam had run to his mother figure. Carter shot him an exasperated look, but grabbed the papers from him anyway.

 

“Dean.” Her voice carried a level of calm authority and often leaves all four boys afraid when she uses it. “Sammy has a case for us, and we have worked on much less in the way of leads. Plus, Sam is entitled to say his farewells to his friend.” 

 

Dean knew when he has been beaten, his eyes narrowed at Sammy, and both Adam and Ben bristled away from them. “Alright, Carter. If you wanna go, go.”

 

“Oh, no, Dean, were all going. The family that preys on monsters together is the family that stays together.” Carter looks determined. “Plus, we promised to take Ben to the Zoo, and I hear there is a nice big one in Saint Louis.”

 

An hour later they are all piled up in the impala, headed towards Saint Louis, Missouri. Sam is fidgety at best, it's been months since he has seen anyone he went to school with, months since he has talked to any of them. “You still keep in touch with your college friends.” Dean says it lowly in the car.

 

“Yeah, they are still my friends.” Sam sounds confrontational. He knows going to Carter was a cheap victory, that Dean would never go against anything she said. Carter is the glue that holds them all together, the more he thinks about it, she is the reason none of them take extreme chances, too bad her charms don’t work on their father. 

 

Dean raised an eyebrow, “Well, what exactly do you tell ‘em? You know, about where you’ve been, what you’ve been doin’?” Even Carter is interested in this conversation. Adam perked up a bit too, Ben is already asleep.

 

“I tell ‘em I’m on a road trip with my big brother, big sister, and two kids brothers. I tell ‘em I needed some time off after Jess. I tell them that we are traveling around looking for our father.” Sam answered.

 

“Oh, so you lie to ‘em.” Carter made a noise at the tone that Dean used, and Dean instantly felt bad, he must have sounded like dad.

 

Sam caught the exchange, and smiled a little to himself. “No. I just don’t tell ‘em….everything.”

 

“Yeah, that’s called lying. I mean, hey, man, I get it, tellin’ the truth is far worse.” Dean’s tone back, Carter pinched the bridge of her nose. 

 

“So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?” Sam asked, irritated, when Dean shrugs Sam looks back at Carter, “You’re serious?”

 

“Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can’t get close to people, period.” Dean growled back, already his fingers were itching to turn the music up loud and drown out the talking. 

 

“You’re kind of anti-social, you know that?” Sam shook his head at his brother, both Carter and Adam shared a small giggle.

 

“No, man, I am hunter-social, anti-monster.” Dean thought his remark was clever, but as usual the looks on his siblings faces, even Ben who had apparently woken up at some point and had been caught up on the conversation, they all looked on the edge of giggles.

 

“Poor Dean, not the clever one.” Adam joked, earning him a slap in the head from Carter. “Sorry mom.” Adam jokes. 

 

-/-

 

“Shapeshifters are assholes.” Carter offered the information like it was gold. “Silver kills them?”

 

“Ok.” Dean sounded unconvinced.

 

“But, they only have to touch you a little bit, to become you. They even can gain memories from your skin cells.” Adam added.

 

“Cause we didn’t already have enough problems.” Sam groaned. 

 

Dean was wanted by the police, because the shifter had stolen his face. Carter thought it was mildly funny, they managed to save Zach’s sister, and she didn’t look like she wanted to completely kill them when they left, the shifter in question had been wearing a meat suit in the variety of Dean Winchester, when the police shot them. 

 

For once Dean was camped out in the back of the Impala with Adam on one side of him, and Ben the other. Carter was driving the black beast down the road. Sam beside her, navigating. “Let’s never do that again, huh?” She asked, her voice shaky.

 

Sam nodded beside her. “At least my friend’s out of jail.”

 

“At the expense of my body. They shot my body!” Dean looked seriously like his feelings were hurt.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Night had long ago fallen, and Sam was driving. Carter stretched out in the front seat, with her feet in his lap. Dean, Adam, and Ben were not asleep or awake, when Dean asked for something that he hadn’t in a long time. “Carter, would you sing Hey Jude?” Carter was quiet for a moment, then a smile broke her face:

_“Hey Jude, don't make it bad_

_Take a sad song and make it better_

_Remember to let her into your heart_

_Then you can start to make it better_

_Hey Jude, don't be afraid_

_You were made to go out and get her_

_The minute you let her under your skin_

_Then you begin to make it better_

_And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain_

_Don't carry the world upon your shoulders_

_For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool_

_By making his world a little colder_

_Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah_

_Hey Jude, don't let me down_

_You have found her, now go and get her_

_Remember to let her into your heart_

_Then you can start to make it better_

_So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin_

_You're waiting for someone to perform with_

_And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do_

_The movement you need is on your shoulder_

_Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah yeah_

_Hey Jude, don't make it bad_

_Take a sad song and make it better_

_Remember to let her under your skin_

_Then you'll begin to make it_

_Better better better better better better, oh”_

 

With that she paused for a moment, her eyes teary. “Mom used to sing that to us.”

 

Dean cleared his throat, “Then you sang it to Adam and Ben.”

 

Silence overtook them for a moment. Carter had learned the song specifically for Dean, around the time she was four. John had always said Carter sounded like her mother and looked like her, John had always tugged at her blonde hair and laughed saying, “Thank God the angels gave you your mother’s looks, so after everything I can still see her beauty.” 

 

Carter thought now that was a cruel joke, maybe the cruelest of all, because her father had done what he promised he would never do. He moved on, and Adam came to be part of their family.

 

“Tatertot.” Sam tugged at her pants leg. “Will you sing my favorite song.” Carter smiled warmly at him, then nodded. 

_“What would you do if I sang out of tune_

_Would you stand up and walk out on me?_

_Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song_

_And I'll try not to sing out of key_

_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends_

_What do I do when my love is away_

_Does it worry you to be alone?_

_How do I feel by the end of the day_

_Are you sad because you're on your own?_

_No, I get by with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends_

_Do you need anybody_

_I need somebody to love_

_Could it be anybody_

_I want somebody to love_

_Would you believe in a love at first sight_

_Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time_

_What do you see when you turn out the light_

_I can't tell you but I know it's mine_

_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends_

_Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends_

_Do you need anybody_

_I… Could it be anybody_

_I want somebody to love_

_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends_

_with a little help from my friends.”_

 

Carter hummed a few more minutes in tune. Sam had to blink back tears, wondering how it was that Carter could remember the most important things about each of them.

 

“Can you do mine?” Adam asked it so softly. Carter chuckled to herself. 

_“Oh life, it's bigger_

_It's bigger than you_

_And you are not me_

_The lengths that I will go to_

_The distance in your eyes_

_Oh no, I've said too much_

_I set it up_

_That's me in the corner_

_That's me in the spotlight_

_Losing my religion_

_Trying to keep up with you_

_And I don't know if I can do it_

_Oh no, I've said too much_

_I haven't said enough_

_I thought that I heard you laughing_

_I thought that I heard you sing_

_I think I thought I saw you try_

_Every whisper_

_Of every waking hour_

_I'm choosing my confessions_

_Trying to keep an eye on you_

_Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool_

_Oh no, I've said too much_

_I set it up_

_Consider this_

_Consider this, the hint of the century_

_Consider this, the slip_

_That brought me to my knees, failed_

_What if all these fantasies come_

_Flailing around_

_Now I've said too much_

_I thought that I heard you laughing_

_I thought that I heard you sing_

_I think I thought I saw you try_

_But that was just a dream_

_That was just a dream_

_That's me in the corner_

_That's me in the spotlight_

_Losing my religion_

_Trying to keep up with you_

_And I don't know if I can do it_

_Oh no, I've said too much_

_I haven't said enough_

_I thought that I heard you laughing_

_I thought that I heard you sing_

_I think I thought I saw you try_

_But that was just a dream_

_Try, cry, why try_

_That was just a dream_

_Just a dream_

_Just a dream, dream”_

 

This time when she stopped, Sam looked over at her. “What is Ben's?”

 

“It used to be mine.” Carter offered.

 

All three hearing brothers felt like complete shit. “What is that?” Dean asked.

 

Carter laughed. “Dad used to sing this song to me, and Ben when we were little.” She offered, and then started humming. 

_“She's got a smile it seems to me_

_Reminds me of childhood memories_

_Where everything_

_Was as fresh as the bright blue sky_

_Now and then when I see her face_

_She takes me away to that special place_

_And if I'd stare too long_

_I'd probably break down and cry_

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet love of mine_

_She's got eyes of the bluest skies_

_As if they thought of rain_

_I hate to look into those eyes_

_And see an ounce of pain_

_Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place_

_Where as a child I'd hide_

_And pray for the thunder_

_And the rain_

_To quietly pass me by_

_Oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet love of mine_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet love of mine_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Oh,_

_Sweet love of mine_

_Where do we go?_

_Where do we go now?_

_Where do we go?_

_Oh, oh_

_Where do we go?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go now?_

_Where do we go?_

_Oh, (sweet child)_

_Where do we go now?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go now?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go now?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go?_

_Where do we go now?_

_Where do we go?_

_Oh,_

_Where do we go now?_

_No, no, no, no, no, no_

_Sweet child,_

_Sweet child of mine”_

 

Carter sighed, then started in on her favorite song before they could ask her to.

_“Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry no more_

_Ah_

_Once I rose above the noise and confusion_

_Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion_

_I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high_

_Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man_

_Though my mind could think I still was a mad man_

_I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,_

_I can hear them say_

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry no more_

_Masquerading as a man with a reason_

_My charade is the event of the season_

_And if I claim to be a wise man,_

_Well, it surely means that I don't know_

_On a stormy sea of moving emotion_

_Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean_

_I set a course for winds of fortune,_

_But I hear the voices say_

_Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry no more no!_

_Carry on,_

_You will always remember_

_Carry on,_

_Nothing equals the splendor_

_Now your life's no longer empty_

_Surely heaven waits for you_

_Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry,_

_Don't you cry no more,_

_No more!”_

 

After she finished up, she closed her eyes and laid her head against the headrest, tears of her own dripping down her face. Dean felt more than a little ashamed, they had brought the most significant member of their team to tears. Dean watched as Sam patted her leg, then watched in silence as Carter laced her fingers through Sam’s. It was something that they had done a lot as children, holding tight to each other.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Where are we?” Adam yawned, stretching his body out as much as he could in the backseat. 

 

“Ankeny, Iowa.” Carter responded, not looking up from the laptop as she flipped through the information Dean and Sam had collected. Ben was still asleep curled up in the flannel blanket beside Adam.

 

“Why?” Adam rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Man got attacked by an invisible dude. Girlfriend saw it all, well… you know.” Carter offered her brother a bag of breakfast fast food. He rummaged through the goodies, settling on a bagel, because everyone knew Ben prefered sausage biscuits.

 

“Where are Sammy and Beany?” Adam asked.

 

“At the coroner, checking out the body.” Carter explained.

 

“And?” Adam asked.

 

“Well, it looks like the man was… hooked to death.” Carter giggled a little under her breath.

 

“Anything interesting about the girlfriend?”

 

“Her name is Lori? Her dad is the preacher.” Carter offered, returning to her research. Adam started chowing down, watching the rain drip down the windows of the Impala. “Mmm. The boys are gonna wanna know this.” She said after some time. 

 

“What?” Adam asked with a mouthful of bagel. Carter seemed to ignore him as she fished her phone out and called Sam.

 

“Hey, check this out, Jacob Karns, he was a preacher here in 1862, reportedly he murdered 13 prostitutes… with a hook that replaced his lost hand, he was hung for his crimes… he’s buried in an unmarked grave.” Carter spoke into the mouth piece.

 

“Literally Hook Man.” Adam heard Dean grumbled into the mouthpiece.

 

“Unmarked grave, huh?” Sam questioned.

 

“Yeah, but those are easy enough to figure out. Where are the prostitutes buried?” Dean asked.

Carter rattled off a cemetery name and address. “Should be on the left rear row.” She concluded.

 

“How do you two know that?” Sam asked.

 

“Dad…” They said in unison, then hung up.

 

-/-

 

“Well, shit.” Dean declared, the bones burned, yet the Hook man attacked Lori’s father, after a particularly bad argument. “We need to find the hook!” Dean screamed into the phone.

 

“On it!” Adam declared. Carter and Ben were at the doctor's office, Ben had woke up coughing. And Carter, the mother she was, stomped them off to see the good country doctor. “Ok, the hook was donated to the church, since it was made completely out of silver… it was reforged, melted down by the church after Karns was hung.” Adam offered, he didn’t think he finished the sentence when Dean hung up.

 

-/-

 

“Ok, so if it’s silver we burn it?” Sam almost shouted. “I’ll take the house, you take the church.” They quickly gathered up everything silver related with Lori's help. As the built the fire the Hook Man appeared and surged at Dean.

 

“LORI YOUR NECKLACE!” Sam shouted, as the Hook man slammed him hard into the doorframe.

 

Lori jerked the braided cord necklace, by the cross, from her neck and tossed it into the flames. The moment it hit fire, the spirit erupted in flame. Lori dropped to her knees in prayer. “It was all my fault, all of it.” She sobbed.

 

-/-

 

“Ben has bronchopneumonia.” Carter informed them once they were all together again. Ben was bundled up in three blankets, two of which Lori had happily given them since they had solved her little Hook Man problem. He was in the middle between Sam and Adam, both tucked closer to him than probably necessary. “He has chills right now, which means his fever is up, and we got antibiotics from the town vet, I mean pediatrician, so that should help. Means we need to take a case we can sleep at a hotel in.”

 

“What is it exactly?” Dean asked, flicking his eyes back.

 

“Bronchopneumonia is a type of pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs due to an infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. The infection causes inflammation in the alveoli in the lungs, causing the alveoli to fill with pus or fluid. The alveoli are tiny air sacs. According to the internet.” Sam read from his laptop as the car sped down the highway.

 

“We need to keep lots of fluid in him, and he should be good.” Carter further explained, looking back at Ben’s shivering form.

 

“Alright, then. Let’s hope for an easy case.” Dean grumbled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Caught a case!” Sam declared triumphantly. 

 

They had checked into a motel in a run down town in Oklahoma, they had spent the last week nursing Ben to health. Now that he could eat solid foods and wasn’t coughing as much, a case sounded like a good idea. “Where at?”

 

“Oasis Plains, Oklahoma - a construction worker in a new housing development died in a sinkhole, his brain dissolved apparently within minutes.” Sam gushed, clearly excited.

 

“And you say you don’t like being a hunter.” Carter giggled. “Adam, go get Dean from the bar, would you?” 

 

“Sure thing, mom.” Adam and Ben both had the tendency to call her mom. Sam usually chuckled about it, but this time he thought about it, really thought about it. How complicated and dark their lives were that only one of John Winchester’s five children remembered their mother fondly.

 

-/-

 

“So, this towns a little buggy.” Dean wiggled his eyebrows at his own joke.

 

Carter clapped, a look of contention on her face. “Ok, so… this town, used to house a Native American tribe.”

 

“That’s cool.” Adam didn’t look up from his comic book.

 

“It says here the members were murdered by calvarymen. I think we need to talk to one of the few people I know of who would know about this kind of thing. Has anyone seen Ben?” Carter asked.

 

“Ben knows about indians?” Sam asked.

 

“No, idjit, I’m going to call a professor friend. Ben is a child, and has apparently wandered off without supervision.” Carter snapped, walking out of the house Dean had decided they would camp in while they were there.

 

The previous day Dean and Sam had attended an open house of sorts for the housing development that they were building, Ben had tagged along with them. Everyone had just assumed they were a modern family, with two dads. Ben had gotten quite the chuckle out of that, signing furiously, and refusing to talk.

 

Ben didn’t like to talk much around strangers, because truth be told his voice and pitch was always a little off. Carter would praise him on how well he pronounced some words, but most were a mystery to him, and the sound it out idea didn’t always work, because sounds were something he didn’t have the luxury of understanding. 

 

At the party Dean and Ben had met the developers family, and his son. Matthew and Ben hit it off, both interested in bugs. Sam had discovered that Matthew and his father, Larry were not on the best terms.

 

“Maybe he is off playing with Matthew.” Adam suggested, looking at his sister's face, as he called after her.

 

“Maybe, I am going to call Professor Darsen, I’ll be back.” She nudged past her brother.

 

-/-

 

“Learn anything?” Dean asked casually.

 

“Yeah, the tribe cursed this land. Remember I told you the American Cavalry butchered the Indians that lived here, well there is more to the story than that. There was resistance and the Calvary grew impatient. During the night of the spring equinox, they came and murdered and raped. And they came again every night for 6 nights until every man woman and child still in the valley was dead. The legend is that the chief as he lay dying on the 6th night asked the heavens to not let any white man tarnish this land again. Nature would rise up and protect the valley, and it would bring as many nights of death to the white man as they had brought to his people. And on the night of the sixth day, none would survive.”

 

“Oh no.” Adam gulped. “Today is the sixth day…”

 

“We need to find Ben, now.” Sam drug them out of the house, and they spread out.

 

-/-

 

Carter found Ben, with Matthew. “Gotta show you momma.” Ben signed, hopelessly fast.

 

Carter whistled for the other boys, and soon they were led into the woods. “The bugs around here have been acting off for the last couple of months.” Mathew told them. “Like, they are coming together for something.”

 

“Is that a skull?” Carter asked as Dean dug around in the pile of bugs.

 

“Shit.” Adam breathed.

 

“Not good.” Sam agreed. 

 

“You best run that up to the professor, and see how old that is.” Carter looked at Dean and Sam. “Us three will stay here and work on getting people to leave.”

 

-/-

 

Sam felt uncomfortable in the car with Dean. “What you said to Matt, about getting away when he was 18, that he could make a life and do what he wanted, that he didn’t need his family, was that how you felt or where you just talking?”

 

For a long time Sam didn’t answer. “Dean, dad was always disappointed in me, because I wanted to live a normal life, and then when I left, he told me to never come back. That is not how loving fathers react.”

 

Dean frowned. “You never respected Dad, Sammy. Carter, she respects dad, tells him when he is wrong but does it in a respectful way. You just yelled and blew up.”

 

Sam shifted in his seat to get a better look at Dean. “He was never proud of me, not like he is of you… or Carter. Even Adam he always praised more.” 

 

“Sam, you're the smartest of all of us, how are you so stupid. Dad knew you could be anything you wanted to. He was afraid of losing you, afraid of what might happen to you if you left us. Sammy, he stopped by the college every chance he got to make sure you were ok, shit, he even had me and Carter do it. Just checkin in on you, making sure nothing was after you.” Dean frowned. “He loves you more than he does us.”

 

Sam froze, he was completely shocked. “I didn’t know.”

 

“Well, no you wouldn’t.” Dean snapped, then added, “Carter did leave the life, Sam. She made a go of it not too long after you left, took Ben with her. You know what happened to her? A demon came after her, one dad had went after before, in his meat suit he raped her, and he left a pretty nasty scar on her. Ben exorcised him.”

 

“That was Ben’s first demon. She wrote to me about that. In Sarasota, right?” Sam asked.

 

“Yea, she played it off like they were working a case, but I think dad knew.” Dean muttered.

 

-/-

 

“Please.” Carter was tugging on Larry’s sleeve. “We really should be going.”

 

“I am not leaving my house for some mumbo jumbo shit.” Larry shot back.

 

Sam and Dean pulled up in the Impala as Carter was trying and failing to drag Larry and his family from the house, the sun was already starting to sink, and Ben was clutching Matthew's arm.

 

“Oh, these three crazy people belong to you two, I thought I recognized the boy. Get off my property and stay away from my son.” Larry bellowed.

 

“Matt told him the truth.” Ben signed, looking at his older siblings.

 

“Shit, kid, should of lied and told them you were dying of pain or something.” Sam grumbled.

 

Carter shot him a look, and Sam grew silent. “Guys.” Carter pointed behind them, a black swarm of something was quickly approaching them. “HOUSE NOW!” Larry was caught off guard by Carter shoving him roughly back into the house, Ben and Matt behind her, as well as Larry’s wife and the other Winchester’s.

 

“All we have to do is survive the night.” Adam laughed, “Shouldn’t be too hard, right?”

 

“We brought bug spray at least.” Dean chuckled.

 

“Really, we could die, and you two are worried about… ok, I admit this is kind of funny.” Carter chuckled with them.

 

Adam sighed, “Everyone take a can, we stay in the middle of the house, big circle, and we stay shoulder to shoulder.”

 

-/-

 

Sunrise was the most beautiful one that the Winchester’s had witnessed in a very long time. The bugs retreated, and everyone was alive. Ben received an address to send stuff to from Mathew. Larry declared that there would be no more developing of the land. And it would be a protected site at least as long as he was alive, because he was going to make it his life's mission to keep it shut down.

Once in the Impala, Carter in the middle of the backseat once more, she dozed off with her head against Sam’s shoulder, Ben tucked under her arm. Adam behind the wheel as Dean taught him how to drive.


	3. Runaway

Twitching and writhing in his sleep, Sam woke Carter, who as per norm when they had a hotel/motel bed they slept back to back. Sam struck out violently in his sleep, clipping Carter in the shoulder, the force of which sent her sprawling off the bed. She was up the next instant, knife raised. Dean was awake as well, eyes carefully watching Sam. “SAMMY” They both shouted. Adam jolted from bed, knocking into Ben, who jerked awake beside them. 

 

Sam’s body was drenched in sweat as his breathing leveled off again. “We have to go home.”

 

“Home?” Adam asked, his eyebrows raised.

 

“I had a dream… a vision maybe, about something in our childhood home… there was something dark there, it wanted to…. Hurt the family.” Sam whimpered.

 

Carter and Dean shared a look, with her finally saying, “We don’t have any other cases right now, so, it couldn’t hurt. Plus we can stop in and see Missouri, let her know the whole band is back together.”

 

“That woman is real?” Adam shivered.

 

“Yes, Ms. Mosley is very real.” Dean offered. “Dad knew her.”

 

They didn’t go back to sleep. Instead they checked out early, and headed toward Lawrence, Kansas. They drove without breaks, and when they reached their old home, a tiny Carter took her big brother’s hand. Suddenly she and Dean both felt like they were small children, Dean clutching her two year old little chubby fist in his, and holding little Sammy in his arms. It was the most significant memory of Dean’s childhood, and Carter’s first real memory. She had a burn on her ribcage from that night. 

 

Sam watched them both tense, and wrapped his arms over their shoulders, although the youngest child of John and Mary he was by far the tallest and broadest. It was Adam who knocked on the door.

 

Jenny had just moved there from Wichita, and she had a little girl, as well as a young son. Strange noises had plagued them since they moved in, and her little girl claimed there was a flaming monster in her closet. Carter shivered, “Her room used to be Sammy’s nursery.”

 

“Adam, Ben, I don’t want you two anywhere near this.” Dean signed. “Want you two to stay at the motel.” 

 

“What?” Adam looked ready to fight back, but decided against it when he saw Carter’s face. 

 

“Something is off, and you two need to stay out of it.” She said finally.

 

“We need to go see Missouri, you two stay here.” Sam said as they dropped the boys off at the motel. They waited until Adam closed the door behind them before pulling off.

 

-/-

 

Missouri Moseley was a lot of things, a true cajun voodoo african woman, with a determined stance and eyes the color of honey. She smiled even as she saw the Winchester’s on her front yard, she cut short the meeting she was in the process of having, and drew each one into a hug. “Children. I have missed you.”

 

“Missouri, how are you?” Carter asked.

 

“I’ve seen better days.” She smiled. “I know you didn’t come to say hi, where are the younger two boys?”

 

“Tucked away safe.” Sam said. “Listen Missouri there is something going on in our old house.”

 

“I know. Was hoping your father would show up. See, the night that changed your lives, the level of evil that was released, must have invited something dark in. I can help you purify the house. If you think that would help.” Missouri said it softly.

 

-/-

 

Before they could move forward with any plans, Adam called them frantic. “That Jenny woman called, a plumber came to the house to do some work, he is dead now. And her little boy Richie got locked in the fridge, you said there was locks on that to prevent that.” 

 

Carter growled. “Some shit is going down at the house.” 

 

They headed towards their old home, Missouri in the back with Carter, gently tracing the life lines on her palms. “You know all you kids are destined for great things.”

 

Once inside, Missouri hesitated. “There is more than one thing here, and sad to say, neither killed your mother.” She entered the house carefully. “Jenny you should take your young’uns to the hotel where Adam and Ben are.”

 

-/-

 

“If the purification ritual worked, why are we still here?” Adam asked.

 

“Hush.” Carter snapped. “Sam has a feeling, and we rely on our instincts.”

 

Ben was curled up next to Adam in the back seat. Sam was outside of the car, leaning on the hood. Dean looked sharply at Carter, “Aren't you worried about him?”

 

“When am I not?” She asked just as skeptical.

 

“Hey guys!” Sam thumped the hood of the car and pointed towards the room Jenny had pointed out as hers, Jenny was against the window, banging on it.

 

“STAY HERE!” Carter ordered Adam and Ben, then they charged into the house.

 

Dean went for the children, grabbing both and heading out the door. Carter slammed into it, as it shut, Sam right behind her. Both working hopelessly to get out. A figure covered in flames appeared before them, just as Dean broke through the window. “Don’t shoot!” Carter ordered Dean, as she stepped away from the door towards the flaming figure. “Mom?” Her voice cracked.

 

The gold and blue flames that had danced around the creature seemed to dissolve and fizzle out, before them Mary Winchester stood. A small smile on her lips. “Sammy, I am so sorry.” She whispered, before snapping forward, locking her arms around the poltergeist that had haunted the house, flames erupted from all corners of the room, Dean slammed both his siblings to the ground, as Mary disappeared once more.

 

The three laid on the floor of the living room for a moment, heads on the hardwood, panting. “What was she sorry for?” Dean asked.

 

“No clue.” Carter groaned, “Holy shit.”

 

-/-

 

“It seems like your mom’s spirit was protecting you, she destroyed herself to destroy the poltergeist.” Missouri told them as Jenny, her kids, and all five Winchesters stood in the kitchen. “The purification worked, for real this time.” She added.

 

“Missouri, these visions I am having, what do they mean?” Sam asked her cautiously.

 

“Honey, I don’t know.” Missouri tapped his cheek, then exited the house, she walked the long way home, and sighed. “John Winchester, couldn't be bothered to let your children know you were ok?”

 

“They are not ready, not yet.” John wrung his hands. “I don’t know the whole truth, and what I do know, well they are not ready for it yet.”

 

“Do they know about Elliott?” Missouri asked cautiously.

 

“No, but I am sending them after her, next.” He grabbed his phone and texted coordinance to Dean and Carter.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Well, this is the place.” Carter stood on the steps of a convent. “I think it's some sort of orphanage.” 

 

“You, Ben, and Adam be safe.” Dean cautioned her. 

 

“Dean, you keep you and Sam safe. This isn’t the first time we’ve broke up into teams. Just, like I said, come get us in a week.” 

 

“We hope that the place dad sent Dean isn’t too bad.” Sam said into the phone.

 

“Roosevelt Asylum, good luck.” Carter chuckled, then hung up. She took Ben’s hand in hers as Adam slung his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s see what John Winchester left here.”

 

They were greeted by a Sister Elizabeth, who looked very excited to see them. “Mr. Winchester said you would be by, he was so heartbroken he couldn’t take Elliott with him, but he said his daughter would be by to pick her up.”

 

“Elliott is a human?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

 

“Elliott, she is his six year old daughter, surely you all know your sister?” The nun looked confused.

 

“Elle, right, sorry, no one calls her Elliott. Did dad leave a note or anything?” Carter stepped forward.

 

“As a matter of fact, yes.” The sister produced a note, and smiled at her. “I will go fetch Elliott now.”

 

“Dear Carter, honey I know I promised no more surprises, and I truly meant that. Remember the case Bobby and I worked in Baltimore, well, I met a woman there… I didn’t know about Elliott until her mother died… it took me months to track her down, and when I did she was in the convent. The little one has a picture of me that her mother kept, and I told her about you guys, please don’t be mad, darling, I gave you another charge. Love, Dad.” Adam read the note in a hushed whisper, over Carter’s shoulder then signed the important information to Ben.

 

By then Sister Elizabeth was back with a tiny six year old girl, who had soft strawberry blonde hair that tumbled down her back in rambunctious curls, and bright blue eyes. “Elliott, you remember you big sister Carter, right?” Carter tried.

 

Elliot nodded sheepishly, rubbed her eyes, and reached for Carter. Carter ducked down, and scooped her up. Once settled on Carter’s hip, Elliott buried her face in Carter’s neck. 

 

“What happened to her mother?” Adam asked.

 

“Housefire.” Sister Elizabeth handed a small backpack to Adam, “Those are her possessions.”

 

Carter felt her blood run cold, and a frown on her face. “Housefire.”

 

-/-

 

Carter didn’t call Dean, not right away. He was working a case. Instead she carried Elliott, with Ben’s hand in hers, and Adam a step behind, going through the backpack they had been handed. “Dad wasn’t lying, look. Here is a picture of Dad with her mom.” 

 

Carter looked over the picture and sighed. “We are becoming the Brady bunch. At least there will be another girl around, now.” Carter smiled a little to herself.

 

“Another kid for you to momma bear.” Adam chuckled.

 

Carter just rolled her eyes. On the way into town she had spotted an abandoned shack, and she planned on them camping out there until Dean and Sam made it back. Once she got Ben settled in, and Adam rounded up some food she sat Elliott down and looked at her.

 

“Elliott, honey, my name is Carter. That is your brother Ben, he’s deaf so we will have to teach you sign language, and that is Adam, your other brother. And we have two more brothers - Dean and Sam. Our dad, John, is on a business trip.” The little girl nodded along. “Do you have any questions?”

 

“Are monsters real?” The little girl asked. “My mommy said so, and John Winchester said so, but the Sister’s didn’t believe in them.”

 

“Yes, monsters are real.” Carter nodded, ruffling the little girls hair. “And we fight them.”

 

Elliott settled in against Adam that night when the sibling’s drug the dusty mattress into the middle of the room and snuggled together. Ben and Elliott slept back to back, Adam beside Elliott, and Carter beside Ben. 

 

-/-

 

They were standing outside the Asylum, when they decided to call Carter. “What can you tell us about the Asylum? And what kinda monster did dad send you after.”

 

“Her name is Elliott, and she is our sister. She is six.” Carter deadpanned.

 

“And, on a higher note, The Asylum housed criminally insane patients, a riot broke out in 1964, and among the victims of the riot was one doctor, who was actually the chief psychiatrist.” Adam informed them.

 

“There is another Winchester, I thought dad said Ben would be the last.” Sam swallowed hard.

 

“Well, he lied.” Carter snapped, then hung up.

 

“She is in a cheery mood isn’t she?” Dean grumbled, scratching his chin. A scream inside the Asylum broke their moods, and both surged in. They quickly found a couple of kids, both terrified.

 

“So, it didn’t try to hurt you.” Sam looked at the boy in disbelief.

 

“No, it kissed me.” The teenager was clearly scared.

 

“Maybe they are trying to communicate?” Dean asked, as his cell phone rang. “Carter?”

 

“Did some more research.” She paused. “Doctor James Ellicott, he was the chief psychiatrist, he was under investigation. It was believed he had a secret room in the asylum and that he was conducting experiments on the patient's.”

 

“So the riot could have broken out in regards to that.” Adam’s voice sounded muffled.

 

“Ok, what better way to handle the mad doctor, lock him away in his own hidden room.” Dean concluded.

 

-/-

 

“Well that was fun.” Sam grumbled.

 

“Yes, I am sure it wasn’t.” Dean chuckled, checking Sam over.

 

“The good doctor is dead, right?” Sam asked.

 

“Yes, deader than dead.” Dean concluded.

 

“Let’s go get Carter.” Sam groaned, as Dean pulled him up.

 

They made it back to the car, just in time for Dean’s phone to start ringing. Sam grabbed it and answered it. “Dad?”

 

-/-

 

“DAD!” Dean almost shouted into the phone.

 

“Hello sons.” John chuckled.

 

“Where are you?” Sam asked.

 

“That’s not important right now. I am hunting the thing that killed your mom, it is a demon, definitely.” John offered.

 

“Well, tell us where to come to join you!” Sam barked, maybe louder than needed.

 

“I can’t do that, you need to get Carter and the kids and head to a hunt in Burkittsville, Indiana.” Then the line went dead.

 

-/-

 

“I would rather track down dad, he called from California, that is where I am headed.” Sam informed Dean, they had not made it back to Carter, yet. 

 

“You wanna leave? Just walk out? Dad said…” Dean started.

 

“Dad said to not come, why do you just do what he says? I mean really Dean, are you such a trained dog you can’t do anything but what he says?”

 

Dean slammed on the breaks, “Go on then.”

 

“Alright, I will.” Sam threw open the door and climbed out, Dean took off in a cloud of dust.

 

-/-

 

Dean found Carter easy enough, and couldn’t quite meet her eyes when she asked, “Where is Sam?”

 

“Dad called. Sam would rather track dad then work the case that dad wants us to work.” Dean explained.

 

“Right.” Carter glared ahead for a moment. “Where are we going.”

 

“Indiana.” Dean explained.

 

“And Elliott?” Carter asked.

 

“He didn’t say anything.” Dean looked exhausted. He watched as Adam put Elliott in the middle of the back seat, she was already asleep, then he climbed in and closed the door. Ben climbed in beside Elliott. Dean looked back at her, she looked like a strange mix between their father and Carter, close enough that no one would guess they had different moms.

 

“Grand. Ok, I think that Adam is going to be in charge of Elliott and Ben while we work this case. Do tell me what the case is?” She asked.

 

“Get your computer out, look up the town.”

 

-/-

 

“Ok, so it's couples that disappear.” Carter started. “Every few years.”

 

“Right, so let’s find out why.” Dean locked the hotel door behind them. They had agreed to leave Adam with the kids two towns over.

 

“Ok.” They pulled into town late in the evening, “Let’s be a couple.”

 

Dean rolled his eyes, they had agreed early on that the best course of action was to be a couple. Carter had called Sam, and from the research they did together, concluded it was probably a Vanir, or a protectant that was summoned to protect the town, and keep the town growing.

 

Dean slammed the car door shut, and laced his fingers into Carter’s. They entered the small diner. “Newlyweds?” The woman at the counter asked.

 

“You could say that, it feels like we have been together forever!” Carter singsonged, bumping her arm into Dean, who just nodded. He was not exactly used to pretending to be in a relationship with either of his siblings, but he was getting used to people assuming he and Sam were a thing, or he and Carter were a thing.

 

-/-

 

“How do we always end up on the brink of fucking death?” Carter groaned. They had been thrown into a cellar of some sort.

 

“They are going to sacrifice us.” Dean sighed.

 

“Yes, they are. Do you have any service?” She asked cautiously.

 

“They took all our phones.” Dean frowned.

 

“Shit, we were supposed to check in with Adam, he knows if we don’t to call Sam.” Carter sat down on the dirt floor, and ran her fingers through her hair.

 

“Yeah, Sam who doesn’t even wanna be with us.” Dean snapped back.

 

-/-

 

Sam looked at his new traveling companion. A pretty girl who called herself Meg Masters, she was apparently running from family as well. His phone buzzed loud and he snapped it to his ear. “Adam? Chill, what’s wrong? They didn’t check in?” He hung up the phone, and looked at Meg. “Sorry, not gonna be able to make that trip, my brother and sister needs me.”

 

“The brother you're running away from?” Meg asked curious.

 

“Yea, but were family, were always fighting about somethin.” Sam slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way to the parking lot, without looking back. Meg glared after him. Once outside he found an unlocked car, and hotwired it.

 

-/-

 

Adam was pacing in the hotel room. Every bone in his body screaming for him to go after Dean and Carter, like he would have done in the past. But, he had orders from Carter to keep an eye on Ben and Elliott. Ben was in the process of teaching Eliot simple signs. They had picked out her name sign, it was an E over her heart and the symbol for unicorns.

 

Calling Sam had been a last ditch effort. Sam had said he was going to head to Indiana, but, he didn’t know for sure if that would work or not.

 

-/-

 

Sam’s heart was pounding in his ears. No way was he going to lose Dean and Carter. That simply wasn’t fair, he had just got them back. He knew he was wrong to run off after his father, especially after everything. He knew that John was right, to a degree, until he knew more about the demon. 

 

Sam cut the binds that were holding Carter and Dean to the tree. The scarecrow in question seemed to know they were not a couple, it carefully sniffed both Carter, then Dean, it’s nose crinkling. Then surged forward taking the woman who owned the diner and her husband. The town folks scattered after that. Carter hugged Sam tight around his middle. “Thank god.” She whimpered.

 

Sam and Dean looked at each other over Carter’s head, Dean eventually joining the hug. They opted not to walk back to town that night, instead they camped out in the woods, laying under the stars, heads together, bodies stretched out from one another. 

 

“We used to do this when we were kids.” Sam mused.

 

“Yes, we did.” Carter chuckled.

 

“Whenever dad would leave us alone, before Adam came. We even used to do it with Adam when he was little, before Dad started taking me on hunts.” Dean sighed. “Look, Sammy, I know you want your revenge.” 

 

“I do.” Sam nodded.

 

“But, we need to understand, Sammy, that dad is the one who has been hunting forever. If he says he is not ready for us to join him, then he knows what he is talking about.” Carter mused. 

 

-/-

 

Watching the tree that tied the scarecrow and the protector to the town go up in flames was worth it. Carter wrapped her arms around both her brother’s waist, and watched the tree burn and sizzle. “We have a new kid to worry about now, and Sammy, I would like to know that you will do as right by Elliott as you can, once everything with Dad is done, I want you to take Elliott with you, get out of the life.”

 

Dean nodded his agreement. “Take Ben, too.” 

 

“Adam, me and Dean, this is our life, it's in our blood, no stopping, no changing.” Carter hugged them both tighter around the waist.

 

The lump in Sam’s throat seemed to grow larger than the one in his heart. He could pretend he wanted to leave this life behind, that he wanted nothing to do with hunting, but there was something so exhilarating about being back with them, he never wanted to leave Carter or Dean.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dean and Carter were standing together, close to each other, as the rain poured down. Dean was maybe 16, Carter roughly 14. “We don’t have anymore money, and… Dad won’t be back for a while. No one was interested in me… are you sure about this?” Dean was blinking back tears.

 

“Beany, I got this.” Carter pushed her chin into the air, as Dean straightened her dress, and fiddled with the bow in her hair. 

 

“I hate this.” He growled.

 

“I know.” Carter squeezed his shoulder, and hugged him tight. “Be back soon ok, that man is the one, right?” She pointed towards a blue and green bronco and Dean nodded. She took two steps away from her brother, and slipped into the truck.

 

Dean looked down at the money the man had handed him. Three hundred dollars for four hours, it was a lot of money. Dean waited until the truck was out of the motel parking lot to let the tears fall freely from his face. His job was getting them money, not Carter’s.

 

Dean stuffed the money into his blue jeans, and pulled his collar closed to his neck, hoping to limit the amount of rain that intended to soak him through, and made his way eight city blocks to the local Wal-Mart, he bought much needed clothes, and food. And counted down the minutes until he needed to meet Carter at the Gas ‘N Sip.

 

-/-

 

“Were running low.” Dean frowned.

 

“No big deal, Beany, there’s a truck stop within walkin’ distance. Just tell the other’s I’m going out.” Carter smiled, and turned from him, he caught his wrist holding fast to it.

 

“I shouldn’t of let you leave with that man.” His voice cracked.

 

“Huh?” She looked back confused.

 

“When you were 14…” His voice dropped off. “The first time…”

 

“Oh, Dean.” Carter turned, wrapping her arms around his middle. “You didn’t make me do it.” She paused. “I did what we needed to keep our family alive. Dad would make me do much worse, for much less, in the years that passed. That man, he was gentle, nice, let me cry and comforted me, telling me how good I was for wanting to protect my family.”

 

Dean looked at her stunned. “Carter…”

 

“No, Dean, we both sold ourselves, we still do. We can lie to them, tell them that it comes from poker, pool, pick pocketing, and credit card fraud, but we know the truth, the sins we bare.” Carter smiled at him. “We are birds of a feather, brother. It is our job to take care of them. Take care of Sammy, Adam, Ben, and Elliott. To make sure they never suffer like we had to, like we do.”

 

Dean shuffled. “Carter, I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Dean.” Carter snuggled tight to him for a moment, “Now, about that money, how much do we need to carry us over for a couple weeks?”

 

“With the gas prices, Elliott, food… probably every bit of four hundred. I’ll take Adam to the bar or Sam, and hustle some pool or some poker.” Dean offered, then leaned forward, and pressed a kiss to Carter’s cheek. 

 

“Dean, don’t worry.” She smiled at him warmly, placing a kiss on his forehead, after tugging him down to her level. “You have never ever let me down.” 

 

His heart sunk as she walked away, summer dress swaying around her, leather jacket on her shoulders, and combat boots clicking on the ground. Dean breathed hard through his nose, she was right. Their father had done much worse to Carter, practically dragging her half naked to bars, and asking who would pay the most, when they were desperate for money.

 

Ten years had passed since the first night she had walked away from Dean, her feet clicking on the ground. Ten years, almost eleven, and the feeling of hopelessness never waned.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Happy Birthday!” Carter, Dean, Sam, Adam, and Elliott screamed at Ben. “Your eleven!”

 

Ben chuckled, the loss of sound didn’t stop his siblings from trying. They had signed with excitement. “Thank you!”

 

It was a small chunk of pie, split between the six of them, with Ben and Dean eating most of it, at a truckstop somewhere in Vermont. They were working a case, Rawhead on the loose. The damn beast were hard to take on, and the siblings had worked out a pair system. Sam and Dean were team one, Carter and Adam were team two. 

 

They hadn’t fully started their hunt yet, instead they were celebrating Ben’s birthday. They had discovered that Elliott was born on Valentine’s day. Carter was still trying to help the little girl be comfortable, but the child didn’t like wearing pants. She prefered dresses and shorts with combat boots. The plaid she liked well enough.

 

“Be careful.” Elliott called after them as they left her and Ben tucked away in the hotel room. Elliott has taken to sleeping curled up to Sam, beside Carter.

 

-/-

 

By the time Carter got to her brothers, Dean was already dead, she drug him from the water as Sam panicked, and started CPR. “Adam take care of the Rawhead body. Sammy, come on man, help me.” Dean gasped for air, as they hauled him up and headed towards the hospital. Carter sent Sam with him, and once Adam was done disposing of the body, she and Adam rounded up Elliott and Ben, checked out of the hotel, and walked to the hospital.

 

“The damage,” The doctor started he refused to talk to anyone other than Carter who was the oldest, “Is very extensive, at best he has weeks to live.” Carter glared at him.

 

“There is nothing you can do?” She snapped.

 

“No.” The doctor even tried to look sad.

 

“Well, Fuck you!” She snapped, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m checking him out then, he ain’t gonna die in some hospital, in a town we don’t even know the name of.” Carter stormed off, and chanced a call to her father. No answer, big surprise. “Dad, it’s Tatertot, I love you, but Dean… he’s dying, Sammy and I are looking for an answer, but…” She felt tears in her throat. “I… It doesn't look good.”

 

-/-

 

Sammy received a text message with coordinance from their father’s phone the next morning. Dean was pressed against the passenger window of Baby. Sam, Ben, and Adam crowed in the back, going over the merits of this “Miracle Worker”, Sam had found. Elliott was plastered to Dean’s side, wrapped under the Winchester family blanket, where Carter had tearfully stitched her name under Ben’s after they found her at the orphanage. Dean had a arm shakily wound around the six year old, and was relieved she was keeping his heart warm. Carter was driving, singing Hey Jude, and praying to whatever God there was that something good could come of this.

 

“You take him in.” Carter declared, as Dean struggled to stand. “There are too many people crowding into that tent, I don’t wanna be jostled, and I don’t wanna risk Elliott getting taken.”

 

Sam nodded, shouldering Dean’s weight. She watched them walk into the over the top revival tent, “Turn the computer on, Adam, and keep a watch out for anything crazy in the area.” 

 

-/-

 

“I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent.” Dean huffed.

 

Sam rolled his eyes, tucked his arms around Dean's chest, and continued walking. An elderly woman stormed by them, stating, “Reverend LaGrange is a great man.”

 

Dean snorted them. “Yeah, that's nice.” Soon they wound their way past a man arguing with a cop about the honestness of the Reverend. “Guess he is not part of the flock.” Dean snorted, he was starting to get winded.

 

“But when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy.” Sam declared, hoping he sounded like Carter.

 

“I mean, come on, Sam, a faith healer?” Dean snapped.

 

“Carter said it’s time for you to have a little faith.” Sam retorted, pulling the Carter card was always a cheap shot. They were approaching a woman, who from behind was very attractive.

 

Dean sounded exasperated when he spoke again. “You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on.” 

 

Sam frowned, “How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?”

 

“Exactly. We see them, we know there real.” Dean chuckled, “Sometimes we feel them.”

 

Sam thought about that for a moment, it reminded him of an argument he had once had with Carter, trying not to butcher something she had once said to him, he stated, “But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too?”

 

“Get that from Carter?” Dean cracked a smile, then more seriously he said, “Because I've seen what evil does to good people.”

 

They had reached the pretty young woman, she turned to look at them, “Maybe God works in mysterious ways.”

 

Dean smiled, winking at Sammy. “Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject.” He looked about ready to die and he was still about to hit on her.

 

“Yeah, I'm sure.” She snorted.

 

Dean extended his hand, “I'm Dean. This is Sam.”

 

She took the offered hand then said, “Layla. So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?”

 

“Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the both of us.” Dean snarked.

 

“Faith is a powerful thing, here comes my mom, see you.” She waved them away, and allowed her mother to drag her into the tent.

 

-/-

 

Inside were wall to wall people, cameras adorned the corners. Dean was not interested, but allowed Sam to find them a seat. Soon the Reverend started talking, “Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it?” Everyone cheered. “Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act.” The man pauses again, “But, I say to you, God is watching. God rewards the good, and He punishes the corrupt. It is the Lord who does the healing here friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts.”

 

Dean rolled his eyes, “And into their wallets.” Sam elbowed him hard in the ribs.

 

The Reverend seemed to chuckle, then the blind mind looked directly at him. “You think so, young man?” 

 

Dean muttered a low “‘M sorry.”

 

“No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears. What’s your name, son?” The old man asked.

 

“Dean.”

 

“Dean. I want-I want you to come up here with me.”

 

Silence fills the tent. Dean is silent for a moment, “I… no, its ok.”

 

Sam glared at Dean, “What the hell are you doing?”

 

“You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?” The reverend asked.

 

“Maybe you should heal someone else…” Dean tries, suddenly nervous.

 

“Oh, no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did.” Then Sam is shoving him towards the stage, and Dean is glaring at everything. 

 

A quiet discussion between the Reverend and Dean, then the Reverend placed his hands on Dean.

 

-/-

 

“Mom, got something.” Adam motioned towards the computer.

 

“Hm?” She asked.

 

“AN openly homosexual teacher, who is roughly mid thirties, is in cardiac failure. Strike that, he’s dead.” Adam responded.

 

“What time is it?” Carter asked.

 

“11:23” Ben responded.

 

Carter glanced back towards the tent, to see Dean and Sam emerging. Dean standing on his own, looking much better. Dean was caught off guard when Carter tackled him, tears in her eyes.

 

-/-

 

“Something ain’t right.” Dean motioned for the group to gather around the table in the hotel.

 

“Did you look into what I asked you to, Adam?” Carter asked as he dropped into the seat across from her.

 

“Yea, every time someone is healed, another person somewhere near by is - normally someone who would be considered in contention with the bible.” Adam explains.

 

“Sounds like black magic to me. Someone gets healed, and someone the good healer deems immoral bites it.” Ben signs and talks at the same time.

 

“Possibly a reaper?” Elliott has been reading the lore, so hearing her guess something makes the five older ones look at her sharply, she even signed correctly.

 

“Could be, El.” Dean declares, ruffling the little girls hair. 

 

“So, we take out the Alter.” Carter decides.

 

“Right, let’s get to it.” Adam stands and motions at Carter.

 

“You two?” Asked Dean.

 

“Yes, we are going tonight, you guys need to go to the healing tomorrow.” Carter growled.

 

-/-

 

Carter and Adam stood in the open tent, looking around. “Creepy place, when it is empty.” Adam whispered.

 

Carter nodded, and took off towards the alter. As she approached she caught the glimpse of a woman out of the side of her eye. Adam stilled. “Hello lovelies.” She spoke.

 

“Who are you? Carter asked.

 

“Reverend’s wife.” Adam supplied.

 

“Shit.” Carter whimpered. “Run.”

 

Adam did as ordered, turned on his heels and ran from the tent, Carter cocked her head to the side and watched the woman. “It’s you, the preacher doesn’t even know how he heals them, does he? Reaper, how does one bind a reaper to them, and get them to do their bidding?”

 

-/-

 

“It’s the wife, Carter told me to run.” Adam panted looking at his brothers.

 

“Shit.” Dean grumbled.

 

Sam only nodded.

 

The next morning, they found Carter bound under the edge of the stage, as the young woman Layla was called to the stage to be healed. As the reaper shimmered to existence they realized it was after Carter, it was determined to kill her. Sam managed to destroy the altar, as everyone in the church watched on in confusion. Carter gasped for air, Dean tossed her over his shoulder, and motioned for Sam, they slid into the back seat of the Impala. Adam was behind the wheel with Ben and Elliott in the front seat. 

“The reaper, took… wife.” Carter whimpered before passing out.


	4. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Sam was around thirteen, standing with little Ben in his arms. “Where is Carter?” He asked Dean.

“With dad.” Dean snapped, not looking up from the weapons he was cleaning.

“Are you sure?” Sam asked.

“She left with him, didn’t she.” Dean snapped, his mind wondering back to his fifteen year old sister, and what John would want with her.

“What was dad hunting?” Sam asked.

“A werewolf.” Dean grumbled.

“So bait? Carter volunteered to be bait.” Sam asked.

“Sammy, just shut it, ok, I don’t know.” Dean snapped.

-/-

Sam remembered when Carter came in the next morning, behind John. She had what he would later discover to be hickies on her neck. Finger prints on her wrist, and hip bones, as well as a busted lip. She looked like she could barely stand. John muttered something about tricky werewolves, then passed out drunk in a chair. Dean drug Carter into the bathroom. 

Sam remembered how helpless he felt when Dean carried Carter to bed after that, a hot compress to her head. Dean dug through John’s pockets, where he laid passed out, fishing out money Sam didn’t think should be there. “Keep an eye on Tatertot, gonna go get supplies.” Dean ordered.

Sam remembered the fist fight that happened after Dean got back, medicine and food bought. John blacked his eyes, and cracked his lip. They spent the next two weeks ‘grounded’ at Bobby’s house. That was the first time it entered Sam’s mind that his siblings could be broken, and the person who would and could destroy them the most was their father.

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

They spent the next couple nights in a small rundown hotel in Tennessee. Carter needed time to recuperate, from the research they had done, it seemed like the Reaper actually scratched her soul. Elliott had declared that her favorite nickname her older siblings had given her was El. She liked it the most, and asked that if they were going to shorten her name, that was it.

They were lazing around the pool, Elliott learning how to swim with Sam teaching, Ben and Adam in a dunking war as Dean and Carter watched on, stretched out in wicker lawn chairs, and praying that the smell from the pool was proof enough that no germs were growing in there when Dean’s phone rang.

Carter tossed the buzzing phone to her brother, and draped her arm back over her eyes. Sports bra and shorts the closest thing to a bathing suit she owned. Elliott had asked her about the chunk of flesh missing from her body under her right rib cage, as well as the long scar that was puckered here or there than ran from the nape of her neck to her bellybutton, and the bullet hole above her left hip. Carter had taken time to answer each question, then El had turned her attention towards her brothers, even Ben had his fair share of scars. 

“Cassie?” Dean asked cautiously.

Carter’s ears perked up at that, and she mouthed, ‘you're cassie?’ to Dean.

Ignoring his sister he grabbed her arm and the ink pen from the poolside table, he tentatively scrawled out an address on her arm, some little town in Missouri. “Yea, Cassie that sounds like something we would be interested in, we can be there tomorrow.”

Carter waited patiently for her brother to fill her in, eyebrows raised. “Everyone out of the pool!” She shouted, “We caught a case!”

She laughed at how comically the four scrambled out of the water. “Can I help work this one?” Elliott asked.

“You sure can, El.” Dean smiled wildly.

“Please tell me, was that your Cassie?” She asked, arms crossed on her chest.

“Maybe.”

-/-

Adam was against the passenger side back window, Ben in the middle, Carter behind Dean, with Elliott asleep on her lap, Dean driving, music turned up, and Sam in the passenger side. “Dean.” Sam said finally. “When you and Carter said old friend…? What did you mean?”

“A friend that’s not new?” Carter snorted, she loved when Dean tried to be clever.

“Oh, yeah, thanks. So her name is Cassie. You never mentioned her.” Sam continued on, Carter hated to admit it, but Sam was good at goading Dean into spilling the beans.

“Didn’t I?” Dean shot a look across the cab, seeing Sam eyeing him expectantly, he cleared his throat then said, “We… we uh, went out.”

Adam and Carter both snorted with laughter, Adam caught Ben up on the conversation, and Ben giggled. “You mean… you dated someone for more than a night?” Sam asked, Carter clicked her tongue, that was low.

“Am I speaking a language you're not understanding. We were working that case in Ohio, and she was finishing up college, we went out for a coupla weeks, that’s all.” Dean snapped.

“So, Ohio wasn’t just good for Carter?” Adam joked.

“Hush you.” Carter warned.

“They related?” Sam asked cautiously.

“Cousins.” Dean muttered.

“Keeping it in the family huh?” Sam chuckled.

“Dad would have been more upset about mine.” Carter declared.

“Why?” Sam asked, interested in the going ons.

“Because he was african american.” Adam offered the information like it was nothing.

“And Cassie is?” Sam was even more curious now.

“Mixed, I guess?” Dean shrugged.

“What is the case?” Carter changed the subject.

“Her dad died, mysteriously.”

Carter pinched the bridge of her nose. Sam glared at Dean, “Look, I am sorry about her dad, really I am, but… it looks like a normal car accident to me, which doesn’t really fit with our wheelhouse. Which, by the way, how does she know what we do?”

Carter groaned. “He told her.” 

“WHAT?” Adam and Sam both almost shouted, waking Elliott up, who cried out startled.

“You told her. You told her, the secret! Our big family rule number one. We do what we do and we shut up about it. For a three years and a half I do nothing but lie to Jessica, and you go out with this chick in Ohio a coupla times and you tell her everything?” Sam snarled.

Dean didn’t say anything for a long time, then “Looks like, yea.”

“CARTER!” Sam cried out irritated.

“Sammy, chill, it was after the Lisa thing… I think it was an incentive for them not to… procreate.” After that silence filled the cab, with Sam pointedly looking anywhere but Dean. 

-/-

Dean fidgeted with his jacket until Carter knocked his hands away, straightened it up on her own, and glared at him. “Stop that, you buffoon.” 

“CARTER!” Cassie was exceptionally beautiful, with tight black curls, caramel skin, and shimmering brown eyes. Cassie caugth Carter in a tight hug. Carter hugged back.

“You remember Adam, and Ben, this is our little sister Elliott, she’s seven, and that’s Sam - you heard about him last time.” Carter motioned at each of them, “And I hope you remember Dean.”

For a long moment Dean and Cassie just stared at each other. Carter rolled her eyes and frowned. “I’m sorry about your dad.” Dean said after a long moment.

“Where is yours?” Cassie looked around them.

“Not here.” Carter offered.

-/-

Killer truck taken care of, Cassie and Dean worked out their problems, and if Carter had to guess, they did that in bed, and the spirit of Cyrus was put to rest finally. Some stories are strange even in their world, so writing this case out in the journal, she decided to leave it at one awkward paragraph:

 

“Cassie's mother - a white woman, left her boyfriend, Cyrus, for Cassie's African-American father. Cyrus tried to kill him out of anger, but he gained the upper hand and ended up beating Cyrus to death, dumping Cyrus' body and truck in a nearby swamp. The boys assume that Cyrus' spirit has returned and is out for revenge against everyone connected to his death. Sam experimented in destruction - Dean lead it in a chase and tricking it into driving onto the hallowed ground of an old, burned down church causing the hallowed ground to destroy it.”

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

They just drifted for a couple of weeks, looking for the next case, stay away from major highways and cities. More than once the kids slept out under the stars, Carter and Sam would point out constellations, and make up stories for them for Ben and Elliott. They celebrated Elliott's seventh birthday, with the young girl leaving a voicemail for her father, “Can’t wait to meet you again!” And chocolate pie from a hole in the wall diner they found. They sang her happy birthday, and gave her her own journal. “I keep the information from mine and Dean’s hunts in mine. Now Sam and Adam add to it. This journal is for you and Ben.” Carter explained to her.

-/-

Sam’s thrashing woke Elliott and Carter, who both tried desperately hard to wake him, eventually Dean pulled Sam from bed, as Carter pushed. When Sam hit the ground he woke up. “Another vision?” Adam asked yawning.

“We have to go - now!” Sam ordered, already grabbing his shoes and out the door.

“Well, that was descriptive.” Carter picked up Elliott and followed behind Sam, as Adam and Dean gathered their belongings and Ben went to pee before they left.

Once settled into the car, Sam had his cell phone to his ear, “McReady. Detective McReady. Badge number 158. I've got a signal 480 in progress, I need the registered owner of a two door sedan, Michigan licence plate Mary-Frank-six-zero-three-seven. Yeah ok, just hurry.” 

Dean tried to sooth him, “I am sure it is just a nightmare, Sammy.”

For once Carter was wedged between the Dean and Sam in the front. Adam wedged into the back seat with Ben and Elliott curled up tight around him. Adam was basically in the floorboard.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Sam seemed ready to claw into anything they said.

“Sammy, I think what Dean meant is like an everyday garden variety one. Y'know, a normal, everyday, naked-in-class, nightmare. This licence plate, it won't check out. You'll see.” Carter hummed.

“Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address? Got it. Thanks.” Sammy had grabbed his sister's arm and wrote out the address on her skin. “Normal nightmare.”

“You're having premonitions, Sam.” Adam yawned from the backseat.

“He’s right.” Carter yawned, setting into Sam’s ribcage, closing her eyes.

-/-

By the time they made it there, emergency vehicles were outside the house. They watched in complete silence as they wheeled a man from the garage in a body bag, and zipped him. 

“Ok, so, premonitions, those are new right?” Dean asked.

“Had a couple about Jessica and then about the old house, about Jenny.” Sam tapped his chin, then darted out of the car.

“Well, great.” Carter growled.

Dean followed Sam from the car, then Carter. “Stay here.” Dean hollered back at the other kids. Once in the crowd they found that the police were calling it suicide. “Those people are not going to talk to us, you can’t tell them that you… had a vision.”

“Dean, shut up.” Carter elbowed Dean hard. “Plus I know who they will talk to.”

“Who?” Dean asked, cautiously.

“Excuse me, Father's.” Carter pushed past them to the trunk, and popped it open. “Adam’s priest suit might not fit perfect.” She sighed. “But maybe this can work.”

“And what about you?” Dean asked.

“No probably not me, unless you want to me to be a nun.” She laughed.

“Nah” Sam nudged her, “Ain’t nothing pure about you.”

Carter rolled her eyes. “Do you hear yourself? The only saint in our little group is El.”

-/-

After donning their priestly garb, and Carter making sure they were comfortable, she dropped them off and headed to local motel. “Laundry day!” She cooed.

“Momma, does the laundry please you?” Asked Elliott.

“Elliott, yes I like laundry, makes me feel normal, side note, you know I’m your sister right, not your mom.” Carter was amazed at the amount of belongings they had acquired since Elliot had come to them. She came with a check, afterall. It was deposited in an account she shared with Ben. That was the only way Carter knew the money would be safe from all of them.

“I know, but all our brothers call you mom.” Elliott singsonged as Carter scooped her up and sat her on the top of the dryer next to the washing machine she was loading.

“A’ight then,” Carter smiled. “Well, that’s good babe.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind Elliott's ear, then patted her head. 

“MOM!” Carter’s head jerked up. Ben was running at her full speed. He caught her around the middle, swung himself behind her. Adam was not far behind him.

“Carter, Ben…. Ben took.... He… stole.” Adam was trying hard to spit something out.

“Dammit, Adam, just spit it out.” Carter demanded.

“Ben stole from the diner.” Adam snapped.

Carter ducked her head and looked down at him, “Ben, what did you do?”

“I was hungry, the pie was there.” Ben signed.

“That’s still theft.” Carter sighed, “How much was it, Adam?”

“I already paid for it.” Adam shrugged, “Was only going to…”

“Spank him?” Carter asked, “Like dad did to us most of the time.”

“I… yes.” Adam ducked his head.

“Ben.” Carter tapped his shoulder. “Stop misbehaving, why would you do that?”

-/-

“Well, that was… odd.” Dean sighed.

“You mean the fact that the son was crazy, the mother didn’t look like she cared, and no one actually looked sad?” Sam asked. “We should have Carter dig…”

His voice dropped off as they entered their motel room. Carter was standing, arms crossed, her features rather angry, with Ben by his ear, Adam had Elliott in his lap, and was rubbing her back to calm her down. 

“Dean.” Carter’s voice held the authoritative tone, that made even Dean shiver.

“Yes, ma’am Carter?” Dean asked.

“Ben here stole from the diner today, a slice of pie. Wanna know his reason?” She asked.

Dean gulped. “Yes.”

“He claims he was doing it for you. Since you had almost died recently. He said you hadn’t had any pie and that he wanted it for you. Dean he had money.” Cater looked angry.

 

Dean sighed, behind him Sam shivered a little, he could remember the Dean and Carter dad/mom talks. This was not going to be pretty. “Ben, you can’t just take things.”

 

“Why?” Ben signed.

 

“Because, Ben, everything we do we do under the radar. If you steal, it draws attention. Attention means more people looking for us than needs to be.” Dean started, looking at Carter’s face he could tell that wasn’t enough. “And it’s wrong, it's a crime, punishable by jail time.”

 

-/-

 

Ben apologized the next day, Adam and Elliott went to the library. Carter met with the family, as a grief therapist. “Hiya Max!” Carter waved enthusiastically, and sank down on the couch next to him.

 

“Hi, who are you?” He asked.

 

“My name is Carter Singer.” She smiled. “I am a therapist, can you talk to me?”

 

“Sure.” 

 

“What was your father like?”

 

“Just a normal dad.”

 

“You live at home now?”

 

“Yeah, trying to save up for school now but it's hard.”

 

“So when you found your dad…”

 

“I woke up. I heard the engine running. I don’t know why he did it.” Max sighed.

 

“I know it's rough. Losing a parent like that. Especially when you don’t have all the answers.” Carter rubbed his arm in a comforting manner.

 

-/-

 

“How did it go?” Sam asked.

 

“I catch a weird vibe from Max, kinda reminds me of you.” She said looking at Sam.

 

“We need to wait for Adam, and see what he says.” Dean grumbled.

 

As if cued, Adam rushed in. “So, I have been busy.” He paused. “Max was beaten by not only his father and uncle, but the woman who lives with them is actually the step-mother. House fire when he was six months old destroyed his mother.” 

 

“His mother…” Dean’s eyes widened.

 

“Sound familiar?” Carter asked. “I believe he was marked just like you, same demon. Sam, you have to talk to -” Her voice trailed off, Sam was doubled over his head in his hands, eyes etched in pain.

 

“SAM!” Adam caught his brother, hauling him upright.

 

“IT’S MAX” Sam choked out. “We gotta go!”

 

Carter already had the keys in hands. Dean and Sam right behind her, they were already out the door when Adam heard the familiar cry “WATCH THEM!”

 

-/-

 

Carter isn’t sure what happened exactly. Max was using telekinesis. He had locked Sam away in a closet and Carter couldn’t move the wardrobe in front of it. Carter darted up the stairs, a gunshot shattered her ears, then she tossed open the door and Max shot her.

 

The next thing she knew, Sam managed to use his own powers enough to disarm Max before he could ever shoot Dean. Sam was squeezing her to him, and Max was dead. Even Dean was rubbing his head where he would have been shot.

 

“You both felt that before I intervened right?” Asked Sam.

 

“Sort of, I saw everything unfold.” Carter growled.

 

“It’s because of how connected we are as siblings.” Sam concluded.

 

“Wipe everything down.” Carter groaned, standing.

 

-/-

 

“Let’s not tell them we almost all died.” Carter decided once they were in the car. Already she was in the back seat in her middle seat.

 

Dean nodded, and Sam just watched out the window. Adam pushed Elliott between Sam and Dean, then took a seat behind Dean, Ben climbed in behind Sam. “Where to now?” Elliott asked.

 

“Wherever the wind blows.” Sam told her and ruffled her hair, messing up the braid Carter had put in it.

 

 

“Hibbing, Minnesota, hmm.” Adam sighed as he looked over Sam at the laptop. They were at a bar, sort of. Carter and Dean were inside. Elliott and Ben were asleep. “We need a second car or something.”

 

“You can say that again.” Sam muttered. “Maybe we can swing by Bobby’s at some point, pick up one of his old run down muscle cars.”

 

“That sounds awesome. Me, Carter, and Elliott in one…. You two can take Ben.” Adam grumbled.

 

“Nah, you’d come with me and Dean. Carter needs to train Ben and Elliott more.” Sam looked back to see his brother smiling at him.

 

“You mean that?” Adam asked.

 

“Yes, I do.” Sam smiled. “Ready to hear about the case?”

 

“Shouldn’t we wait on them?” Adam asked.

 

“No, they are going to drink their weight, and sleep with someone, then crawl out around dawn.” Sam rolled his eyes.

 

“Ok, case?” Adam asked.

 

“Men, women, randomly, are disappearing.” Sam said simply. “About eleven this year alone, if I read the report correctly.”

 

“You and Dean are going to talk to the family of the most recent one, right? Or whoever witnessed it?” Adam asked.

 

“We are, once those two are done… what did they call it, celebrating their not death.” Sam sighed.

 

“What happened back there?” Asked Adam.

 

“That boy, Max, was like me, he’d been delving into his powers. I, not so much, I can’t even begin to understand how to manipulate them… enough that he could wield his power very easily.” Sam sighed. 

“He was abusing… or indulging whatever.”

 

“Oh, and they both almost died?” Asked Adam, curiosity spiked.

 

“They were dead, I saw it in my mind… but I managed to… use my own powers I guess.” Sam didn’t elaborate, just looked back at his brother. “Let’s go get a hotel, huh?” 

 

-/-

 

Dean adjusted his sheriff’s top, and looked at Sam. An older woman, Mrs. McKay, looked between them. “I know you’re just doing your job, but the police have been here all week already. I don’t see why we have to go through this again. The more he tells the story, the more he believes it’s true.”

“Mrs. McKay, we know you spoke with the local authorities.” Sam tried to comfort, a small smile on his face.

 

“But, uh, this seems like a matter for the state police, so…” Dean’s voice dropped off as Sam stood and walked into the livingroom where Evan was. 

 

“Don’t worry about how crazy it sounds, Evan. You just tell me what you saw.” Sam started.

 

“I was up late, watching TV. When I heard this weird noise.” He started.

 

“What did it sound like?” Asked Sam as Dean and Mrs. McKay joined them.

 

“It sounded like…. A monster.” Evan answered, clearly to him it was the honest answer, Sam and Dean shared a look.

 

“Tell the officers what you were watching on television.” Mrs. McKay ordered.

 

“Godzilla Vs. Mothra.” Evan offered up, Dean grinned.

 

“That’s my favorite Godzilla movie! It’s so much better than the original, huh?” Dean grinned.

 

“Totally!” Evan agreed.

 

“Yea!” Dean cried almost enthusiastically, then nodded his head in Sam’s direction and said, “He likes the remake.”

 

Sam glared at him and half a mind to tell him that Carter also liked the remake, his thoughts however were interrupted by Evan saying, “Yuck!”

 

“Evan did you see what this thing was?” Sam asked.

 

“No. But I saw it grab Mr. Jenkins. It pulled him underneath the car.” Evan told them.

 

“Then what?” Dean asked.

 

“It took him away. I heard the monster leaving. It made this really scary sound.” Evan told them.

 

“What did it sound like, Evan?” Sam asked cautiously.

 

“Like this… whining growl.” Evan paused. Sam and Dean looked at each other.

 

Sam stood, “Thanks for your time.”

 

-/-

 

Carter, Dean, Sam, and Adam had found the best food place in town, it was a bar too. Elliott and Ben were tucked between Adam and Sam in the circular booth. “So, local police have now ruled out foul play. Apparently, there are worse signs of struggle.”

 

“Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping.” Carter started.

 

“Maybe this isn’t our kind of gig.” Adam finished.

 

“Yeah, maybe not. Except for this - dad marked the area,” Sam paused as all their heads clunked together Elliott's included around the center to look at the journal. “Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker.” He tapped the page.

 

“Why would he even do that?” Asked Dean, looking over the page. 

 

“It says here, he found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night.” Carter grabbed the journal. “Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too - this country has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state.”

 

“That is weird.” Elliott declared.

 

“Yea.” Ben and Adam echoed.

 

“Don’t phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds? Jenkins was taken from a parking lot.” Dean sighed.

 

“Well, there are all kinds.” Sam started. “You know, Spring Heeled Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime. Look, Dean, I don’t know if this is our kind of gig either.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right, we should ask around more tomorrow.” Dean pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

“You know what, guys?” Carter asked, wiggling her eyebrows. “How about Ben, Elliott and I go do some research. Adam use your fake id, ok?”

 

“Where you headed?” Dean asked.

 

“I saw a motel about five miles back. You guys come find us when your done, and Adam don’t get drunk.” Carter cautioned.

 

“Sure thing, mom.” Adam called after her.

Carter had Elliott's hand in one, and Ben’s in the other. “Let’s go.”

 

-/-

 

Something was off about the parking lot. Carter wasn’t sure exactly what. As she reached the car, she heard something, stopping them all she turned around, dropping the journal on the trunk. She didn’t hear him, whoever it was, but she felt it, a gun barrel against the back of her head, as she dropped. She recalled a growling screeching car noise, loud enough it resonated in her ears.

 

-/-

 

“Why didn’t she take the car…” Adam slurred.

 

“Shit.” Sam looked at the trunk, eyes glossing over the journal.

 

“Whatever is taking people, took our siblings.” Dean sighed, then rushed back in, wiping out a recent picture, amazed he even had one on his phone. “Did you see where these three went? Hmmm? Anyone?”

 

When he returned outside. “I am going to guess that no one saw anything?” Adam looked a lot more sober now.

 

“So what do we do?” Sam was reading over everything in the journal.

 

“Report them missing.” Dean declared. “Adam, you do it. Because Sam and I met the police as cops. We are going to redouble the efforts for the missing case.”

 

-/-

 

Dean tried not to look panicked in front of them, but Carter was his second, his best friend other than Sam, and without her he was starting to panic. Ben, his son, was one of the missing, and that had him at a super aware state of “Oh, fuck.” Elliott being taken had him almost pissing his pants, “Dad’s gonna kick my ass,” pretty much.

 

Sam was watching Dean fidget. “Look, Kathileen. Our… younger siblings are missing. Adam reported them this morning.”

 

“He did, gave the last name Winchester, if that is the case then you two would have to be Sam and Dean - which is impossible because Dean is dead.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

 

“Please, lady.” Adam growled, pushing past his brothers. “Carter is the only mother I have ever had, Elliott is new to us, Dad just found out about her, and Ben is deaf, regardless of how upset you are about…. Those two, are idiots. Now, please help me!” Adam looked distressed.

 

Sam realized, never in his life, had Adam been truly without Carter. He instantly reached out to place a calming hand on Adam, who sighed. “I will help, but you can not interfere in the actual police business.”

Sam and Adam followed behind her in the Impala, she made Dean ride with her. “You know if you're Dean Winchester, I have to take you in.”

 

“I know, but I didn’t kill anyone, ever.” Dean offered.

 

-/-

 

Carter groaned, as she opened her eyes. “Elliott.” She hissed, her eyes searching in the dark.

 

“Momma, Ben and I are together, he’s still out.” The seven year old whimpered.

 

“Ok, ok.” Carter sighed. “I’ll figure this out.”

 

“Good luck lady, I have been here for days, and no one leaves. Can’t open the cages without using that panel.” 

 

“Jenkins? Is that you?” Carter squinted in the light.

 

“Yea, who's asking?” The man snapped.

 

“Uh, my name is Carter Winchester.”

 

“Carter, isn’t that a boys name?” The man asked.

 

“Er, both me and my sister have boy names… anyway, my brothers are on your case.” Carter grumbled.

 

“Cops that bring their children along?” Jenkins chuckled at that.

 

“Not quite, where monster hunters.” Elliott responded.

 

Carter grimaced, Elliott didn’t really talk like a kid. “Our brothers will find us.” Carter offered, hoping she was correct.

 

The door to the barn opened up, and a man… a human entered, with food. He placed it in Jenkin’s cage then walked away. Carter watched as he secured the barn. “How many times a day does he come in?”

 

“Three times, your cage hasn’t been empty long.” Jenkins chowed down. 

Carter counted the minutes and at 89 minutes since he had been offered food, the barn door open, and his cage released. “I wouldn’t…” Carter started.

 

“Anyone ever listen to you momma?” Elliott asked as the man darted out of his cage and through the doors.

 

“Nope. Case in point, we are here.” Carter pinched the bridge of her nose.

 

-/-

 

“CAR!” Sam nearly screamed pointing at the jeep, he cut the Impala hard, skidding in the gravel, somewhere ahead Dean must have noticed, because the cop lady pulled in next to them. Adam and Sam surged off first, headed towards the woods.

 

Dean wasn’t sure how this happened, but he was cuffed to the cruiser, and the cop was ahead of him, walking into the woods. Relieved he had tucked some of Elliott's bobby pins into his pocket the night before because her bangs kept coming free of her braid, he dug into his pocket.

 

-/-

 

“Sam!” Carter hissed. “It’s a control panel, over there.” She motioned towards it. “Get us outta here.”

 

“Did you see what took you?” Adam asked, checking over Ben and Elliott, signing in the dim light that everything would be ok.

 

“Humans, this some sort of wrong turn shit.” Carter growled.

 

“It won’t work from here.” Sam snarled, slamming his fist at the box.

 

“In the house I bet they keep the key.” Adam looked at Sam.

 

“You stay here, guard the door, do what you have to do should anyone try to come through. I am going to check inside.” Sam made it three steps across the yard, when Dean motioned for him. 

 

“Are they ok?” Whispered Dean.

 

“Yes.” Sam nodded. “Key in house, Tatertot says this is human.”

 

-/-

 

Dean stared down the barrel of the gun the little girl was wielding. He was definitely not having a good day. He watched Sam dart out of the house with the key. He raised his hands in defeat. He knew her father and one of her brothers had exited the house to see what was taking another so long in the barn. 

He had no clue how long he stood there, he exhaled hard, when he saw Carter behind the little girl, before she could move, Carter had cradled her head, cupping either side of her face, then the sickening snap of her neck. Carter inhaled sharply as the little girl's body crumbled. “Monster.” She muttered, then was on Dean, looking for any injuries.

 

“The cop?” Dean grunted.

 

“Adam knocked her out.” Sam said from somewhere behind. Before he could think about it, Dean was scooped up between Sam and Carter, amazed her stout form so short could hold him.

\--------------------------------------------------

 

When Dean woke up again, Carter was straddling him in the back of the Impala. “Brat shot you, that’s why I broke her neck.” Groggily he nodded. Beside him he could see Adam. In the front of the car, Sam had the radio turned to some crappy station, Elliott was sitting on Ben’s lap both with arms out the window. Carter had a needle wedged between her lips, and Adam had a bottle of Wild Turkey, and a torn piece of Carter’s shirt, tentatively he seemed to be wiping at Dean’s chest. 

 

“You got shot by a shotgun, lucky you it was home made rounds, seems to all be lodged in your ribs and sternum.” Carter whispered. Adam wiped some of her messy hair from her face, and Dean hazily realized she had blood on her face, he wondered if it was his or not, darkness captured him once more.

 

When Dean woke again, he was laid out flat on a bed. Curled up next to him was Ben, and on the other side Elliott. He could see Carter, sitting on the counter, her shirt off, arms crossed over her chest, while Sam stood a fraction behind her. “Sorry about the fence, again.”

 

“You didn’t know it wouldn’t open correctly.” Carter hissed.

 

“Right, but Adam dragging you out, tore you up.” Sam sighed.

 

“Neither of you are at fault.” Carter mused. Then she yelped, her whole body contorting, and jerking forward in pain. 

 

“Pour more whiskey on it.” Dean grumbled.

 

“You're awake!” Adam smiled surging forward, checking him over. 

 

“She patched me up while bleeding out?” Dean whispered.

 

“Uh, yeah, Ben already cleaned the blood out of the car.” Sam called from his position. “Elliott, get me some more fishing twine, please baby?”

 

Dean grunted as Elliott pushed off of his chest, and bounded towards Sam. Carter reached down and drug Elliott into her lap, Elliott pressed her head into Carter’s neck, and Carter seemed to calm instantly. Sam sighed. “We all should have went to medical school. Those stitches she gave you man, are real fine. 

Almost as good as her embroidery on the blanket for Elliott's name.”

 

“Good job, Tatertot.” Dean grumbled, then closed his eyes once more.

 

“He passed back out.” Adam sighed.

 

“Adam, you wanna work on her ribs while I finish this part. I don’t want her to bleed out.” Sam instructed.

Once she was as stitched up as she could be, Sam helped her tug on her sports bra, and they wrapped her lower back in two ace bandages to keep her shirt from rubbing and tearing at the stitches. In sports bra, and shorts, she smiled slowly at Sam. “Thank you Sammy.” She kissed his cheek, then climbed into the empty bed.

 

“Adam, you take the outside, I am going to sleep right beside her tonight.” Sam told him, then clambered into the middle of the bed, instantly Carter curled to his side, her face pressed against his ribs.

 

“You two really are like two halves of a whole.” Adam sighed.

“You’ve been her other half in my absence, I don’t know what I will do after we complete our revenge, but I don’t wanna leave you guys again.” Sam drifted into sleep.


	5. Nothing But A Good Time

It wasn’t often memories of Adam’s younger times shifted into his dreams, but when they did, it always left him with a sour taste in his mouth. He had dreamed, vividly, of a time he’d rather not remember. Carter and Dean both left that night, Sam had been gone a couple months, Carter had come back with Ben, long angry stitches down her front, Dean had patched her up.

They had left to go out for drinks, Adam waited until Ben was fast asleep, because John was already passed out. He followed his siblings. He had always known they liked to sleep around, or at least that was what he thought it was, neither making an emotional connection with anyone other than family, avoided seeing whoever they were with the night before at breakfast.

Adam trailed them to the bar, he would never forget how the two separated the moment they were through the front door, how Dean seemed to seek out the single most desperate looking woman, they whispered for a bit, then she handed him money. Adam didn’t need to be a genius to figure it out. Dean followed the woman from the bar.

Carter repeated the method, however the man she trailed out after led her to a tractor trailer not a house, and almost an hour later when she climbed out, fixing her shirt, and buttoning her pants, the man handed her a wad of money. Adam watched Carter slip back into the bar, and find another man, then another. Dean was absent for several hours.

When they finally met back up, Adam had already returned to the hotel. They attempted to sneak in, both frantically making their way as quietly as possible to the bathroom. The shower turned on, but through the crack in the door, Adam watched Dean count money, as Carter stripped. Adam had thought about it for the next few weeks. He reached the conclusion, that the money that came in… the money they so readily spent, was from his older two siblings selling their bodies. 

Now, Adam was older, he realized that John never forced them, their absences at night never added up, until he thought harder about it. Like when he woke up plagued by memories of the night that opened his eyes to how much Carter and Dean really have to make sure Sammy, he, and Ben were clothed and fed. Looking back, he realized that night they waited for John to pass out, they snuck out on their own, determined to keep them fed. 

It wasn’t the only sacrifices Adam had watched them make. Dean had left behind Cassie, when he loved her. Carter had pushed away every man who ever smiled at her, avoided all of humanity. Carter had given up her teenage years to make sure he, Sam, Ben, and now Elliott had an education on top of hunting. To make sure they felt love that she probably had never felt for herself. Dean fought to protect them, to keep them together.

Adam felt nothing but extreme pride, and knew without a doubt he would be long dead or lost without love, had it not been for the eldest Winchester children. As he looked around at their sleeping forms, he smiled to himself, checking to make sure that both Carter and Dean were in bed asleep. The sunlight was starting to creep in, so he slipped out, grabbing two of the twenties from the table. 

A smile on his face, he didn’t mind pretending not to know where the money came from, it made Carter and Dean feel better. He had overheard them talking at night, when they thought no one was listening. It brought them comfort to think the younger ones had no clue the horrors that lived outside the carefully constructed web they created, the walls they built for their siblings, the protection from the outside and their father they offered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was days before they got on the road again, and when they did it was towards Chicago. Carter knew a girl down there who had called her, “Animalistic destruction of corpse.” Sam repeated.

“How do you know this… Beth?” Elliott asked, looking over the note Carter had scribbled on her arm.

“She’s a cop, ok. Met her before. Knowns when a crime scene doesn't add up, to call me, or dad.” Carter seemed unnaturally defensive. Adam and Sam shared a look.

“But, how did you meet her?” Sam asked.

Carter glared over her shoulder, Dean was driving, and a golden oldies station was playing. “We had a thing.” She grumbled.

“Didn’t hear you.” Adam goaded.

“WEHADAFUCKINGTHING!” Her shout and words running together.

Dean laughed, and started tapping his fingers along to the son playing, Carter in true Winchester fashion turned the radio up and started singing “Highway to Hell.”

-/-

“When she says thing…” Sam asked Dean once they dropped Carter, Adam, Ben, and Elliott off at a motel.

“They had a fling.” Dean supplied, pulling the Impala into a bar.

“She likes both…” Sam’s voice trailed off.

“She likes pleasure, not sure if that is a gender based thing.” Dean responded, enjoying the twitch on Sam’s face. “Come on now, I am pretty sure even Adam doesn’t mind the occasional tryst, if someone is attractive they are attractive.”

“Were all fucking pansexual.” Sam grumbled. “The pansexual Winchester’s at your service.”

“What is pansexual?” Dean looked like he didn’t know if he should be appalled or concerned.

“It means that you're not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity.” Sam offered, “You like someone for who they are not what they are, or more accurately in your case, how they look.” 

“Someone has done his research.” Dean climbed out of the car, clearly done with the conversation and headed into the bar. Typical first night in town, either the police station or a bar. Tonight Carter would be hooking up, and Sam used that term lightly in his mind, with beth and going over the case.

Amazed that Dean, Carter, and Adam had hid their sexuality so well from John for so long, Sam followed the eldest brother into the bar. It should have been an easy night of drinking, but sitting on one of the bar stools was Meg. The girl who should be in California. He froze, instantly tugging at Dean’s sleeve. “That’s Meg.”

“Meg that you almost ran away with? When we were playing house with the scarecrow and you went all lone survivor?” Dean asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

“Looks like fate to me.” Dean teased, “See why you thought about running away with her, she’s hot.” 

Dean laughed, before grabbing his own beer and heading towards the pool tables. Other than credit card fraud, he and Carter were pretty good at hustling pool, playing poker, and playing darts. Bets were the easiest way for them to make money. When Dean looked up Sam was gone. The bartender informed him his ‘date’ had headed back to the hotel.

-/-

“Met with Beth, listen the girl who went missing, her name was Meredith. I found out her address, you guys need to go check it out. I have already made your cover, and Adam is fishing out your clothes.” Carter was alive with activity, moving bristly around the apartment, a purple bruise on her neck.

“Have fun last night.” Sam asked, innocently.

“Yeah, heard you choked.” Adam called from the bathroom. He was brushing his teeth, Ben next to him, while Elliott played in the bathtub.

Carter giggled, and Dean laughed openly. “He’s shy. Hey Carter, did you know we're pansexual?” Dean asked.

“Is that a disease?” Adam called from the bathroom.

“Yes, I did, pretty sure it runs in the family.” Carter rolled her eyes. “El honey are you almost done, I wanna shower.”

“Almost, mommy.”

-/-

Dean had let Adam and Ben out at the library, and dropped Carter and Elliott off at the mall. He watched her grab close to two hundred dollars he had won the night before and tuck it into her shoe, he didn’t even bother to question why anymore. They had money these days, extra for once, and Carter had two rapidly growing children to worry about.

He and Sam parked across from apartment complex where Meredith had lived. “You know, I’ve gotta say Dad and me did just fine without these stupid costumes. I feel like a high school drama dork.” He paused and grinned at Sam, “What was that play that you did? What was it – Our Town. Yeah, you were good, it was cute.”

"You wanna pull this off or not?” Sam snapped. “Carter is right, we need to blend in.”

“’m just sayin’, these outfits cost hard-earned money, okay?” Dean snapped.

“Who's?” Sam retorted.

“Carter and I work hard to hustle those games, and Adam is still improving his pick pocketing.” Dean cried out defensively. “You think credit card fraud is easy? Well it’s not.”

Sam rolled his eyes. The landlady let them in, and both instantly started moving around the room, searching for any clues. Once the landlady left, Sam checked his phone. “Carter said the heart was missing.”

“Werewolf maybe?” Dean ask as they moved around.

“Lunar cycle is off.” Sam said absentmindedly as he shifted through her mail.

“You got tape on you, seems to be something in the blood spatter.” Dean grumbled.

Sam dug around the work desk until he phone tape, together they mapped out what looked like symbol or sigil. “Take a picture send to Carter.” Sam whispered, clicking off the image.

-/-

“Back to the bar?” Carter asked, watching the boys.

“Dean says I should talk to Meg.” Sam shrugged.

“Take Adam.” Carter ordered. “Ben, Elliott, and I are going to get chinese then head back to the library, see if we can figure out the symbol you found.”

"Does he have a fake ID for every state?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, he does. Once Ben hit’s fifteen I will make him one too.” Carter rolled her eyes.

"So, dropping us off?” Dean asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

“Yes, you smell like you bathed in axe.” Ben signed, pinching his nose.

“Too cute.” Carter giggled.

Once they were all settled in the car, she dropped the three oldest boys off at the bar. “Text you when we need you!” Dean hollered as she took off.

“Never grow up.” Carter wiggled her eyebrows at both Ben and Elliott.

-/-

Sam was never going to get used to Dean’s shameless flirting, ever. “Did you get anything? Besides her number?”

Dean sighed, and shrugged, “Dude, I’m a professional. I’m offended that you would think that.” When he caught the look that Sam gave him, “All right, yeah.” He chuckled and held up a napkin with the bartender’s phone number on it. “I was thinking more for Adam then me.”

Adam frowned, “I don’t need your help. You mind doing’ a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean?”

“Huh? Look, there’s nothing to find out. I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn’t do or say anything weird before she died, so—what about that symbol, you find anything?” Dean grumbled.

“Nope, nothing. It wasn’t in Dad’s journal or in any of the usual books. That’s why Carter went to the library, how much have you had to drink?” Adam sighed.

“Well, there was a first victim, right? Before Meredith?” Dean asked.

“Right. Yeah.” Sam pulled out a newspaper clipping from his chest pocket concerning the first death. “His name was, uh—his name was Ben Swardstrom.” He handed the clipping to Dean. “Last month he was found mutilated in his town house. Same deal—the door was locked, the alarm was on.”

Adam cocked his eyebrow, “Is there any connection between the two of them?”

“Not that I can tell—I mean, not yet, at least. Ben was a banker, Meredith was a waitress. They never met, never knew anyone in common—they were practically from different worlds.” Sam answered honestly.

“So, to recap, the only successful intel we’ve scored so far is the bartender’s phone number.” Dean smirked. Sam looked around him, his fast paling. “What? Sam?”

“The hell?” Adam growled, he watched as Sam moved away from them to the bar.

“Must be that hottie from the other night.” Dean concluded.

-/-

“Meg?” Sam asked, reaching out and gripping the girl's shoulder. 

“SAM!” Meg shot from her barstool, and hugged him dramatically. “Sam! Is that you? Oh, my God! What are you doing here?”

“I’m just in town, visiting friends.” Sam offers.

“Where are they?” Meg scanned the bar. 

“Well, they’re not here right now, but what about you, Meg? I thought you were going’ to California.” Dean and Adam both had made their way to the table Meg had drawn him to.

“Oh, I did. I came, I saw, I conquered. Oh, and I met what’s-his-name, something Michael Murray at a bar.” Meg joked.

Sam quirked an eyebrow, “Huh? Who?”

Meg giggled, “Oh, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, the whole scene got old, so I’m living here for a while.” Adam and Dean both coughed, attempting to get attention.

Sam pointedly ignored them, “You’re from Chicago?”

“No, Massachusetts—Andover. Gosh, Sam, what are the odds we’d run into each other?” Meg huckled again.

“Yeah, I know, I thought I’d never see you again.” Sam answered honestly, suspicion growing in his mind. 

“Well, I’m glad you were wrong.” Sam smiled nodding as both his brother coughed again. Meg glared at them, “Dude, cover your mouth.”

Sam frowned at them, “Yeah, um, I’m sorry, Meg. This is, uh—this is my brother, Dean, and this is my younger brother Adam.” 

Meg raised her eyebrows, “This is Dean?” Dean smiled dramatically, and Adam groaned - the way she said Dean’s name there was no good coming of this situation. 

Sam nodded, “Yup.”

Dean turned on the charm, leaning forward on the table, “So, you’ve heard of me?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve heard of you. Nice—the way you treat your brother like luggage. Do you treat them all that way or just Sammy?” She snarled.

Dean looked confused, Adam looked terrified, “Sorry?”

Meg seemed to be building up for something. “Why don’t you let him do what he wants to do? Stop dragging him over God’s green earth.”

Sam looked around them, “Meg, it’s all right.” 

“Okay, awkward. I’m gonna get a drink now.” Dean declared walking away.

“Shit, woman. Your as scary as Carter.” Adam groaned, grabbing his beer from the table and giving Sam a confused look, before tailing after Dean.

Meg looked thoughtful for a second, then, “Sam, I’m sorry. It’s just—the way you told me he treats you....if it were me, I’d kill him.”

Sam was already thinking about what to say to Dean to make that whole odd conversation right. “It’s all right. He means well.”

Meg nodded, “Well, we should hook up while you’re in town.”

“Okay, sure.” Sam smiled.

“I’ll show you a hell of a time.” Meg wiggled her eyebrows.

Sam looked around then, “You know what, that sounds great. Why don’t you, uh—why don’t you give me your number?”

“312-555-0143” Meg rattled it off. 

“You know what, I never got your last name.” Sam smiled at her.

“Masters.” 

-/-

“Carter, give me everything you got on Meg Masters.” Sam ordered. Dean was driving, he had been demoted to the backseat.

“Who the hell does she think…” Dean had not stopped growling since they got in the car.

“Dean, we were fighting.” Sam tried. “I was angry at you.”

“Dude, shut up. Your digging a bigger hole.” Adam groaned. “Carter is going to be pissed.”

“No, Carter is going to be angry.” Dean corrected. 

“Why?” Asked Adam.

“Because Sam is going to take the car, and watch Meg. You and I are walking home.”

-/-

Research finished, Dean and Adam home, Carter called Sam, “It’s, uh—turns out the symbol is Zoroastrian. Very, very old school, like two thousand years before Christ. It’s a sigil for a Daeva.”

“What’s a Daeva?” Sam asked cautiously.

“If her notes are right, It translates to “demon of darkness”. Zoroastrian demons, and they’re savage, animalistic, you know, nasty attitudes—kind of like, uh, demonic pit bulls.” Dean mumbled.

"How’d you figure that out?” Sam asked.

“Give me some credit, man. You don’t have a corner on paper chasin’ around here.” Carter snapped.

“Oh, yeah? Name the last book you read.” Sam grumbled, he was in a piss poor mood and taking it out on his sister, he knew that.

“Slaughterhouse Five, read it to Elliott once Ben finished it. Fuck you, Sam.” Carter hung up.

Sam hung his head, he had successfully pissed off both his older siblings. He looked up once more to the window that belonged to Meg.

-/-

He should not have checked out her room. The alter confirmed his worst fears. He called Carter as he sped back to the hotel. “They were from Lawrence.” Adam shouted into the phone.

“What?” Asked Sam.

“The first victim, and Meredith, they were both originally from Lawrence, where are you?” Carter demanded.

“Headed back to you now. Meg had the alter.” Sam snapped.

“If it's all connected.” Carter started, “Meg could be working with the demon.”

“Holy shit.” Echoed around the phone.

“Let’s destroy the altar and get the hell away from here.”

-/-

With everyone in the car, it was silent. “Let’s finish this.” Sam said after a moment.

“Yeah, I don’t want you to leave the second this thing’s over, Sam.” Dean growled.

“Dude, what’s your problem?” For a moment no one breathed.

“Why do you think I drag you everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think we came and got you at Stanford in the first place?” Dean asked. Carter grabbed Adam’s hand in hers, and hissed under her breath. 

Adam had never prayed so hard, whatever was said in the next few minutes would let the mood for the upcoming fight. Sam looked around them all, “Cause Dad was in trouble. Cause you wanted to find the thing that killed mom.”

“Yea, that, but it’s more than that, man.” Dean paused. “You and me and Dad and Carter, Adam, Ben, and now even little Elliott…. I mean, I want us… I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family again.” Dean sounded like the nine year old boy he had once been, demanding John not leave them alone at Christmas again.

Sam looked defeated. “Dean, we are a family. I’d do anything for you, anything for any of you guys. But things will never be the way they were before, never again.” 

Adam felt Carter stiffen next to him, and could see the tears stinging her eyes. “You're right, Sammy, we could be better.” Her voice was calm but Adam could feel the tension. 

“I don’t remember a lot about us all together.” Adam started. “But dad was the happiest when we were all together.”

Dean was clenching the steering wheel, his knuckles white, “We could be… could be the same, or better.”

Sam just shook his head. “I don’t want them to be. I'm not gonna live this life forever. Dean, when this is all over, you’re gonna have to let me go my own way.”

-/-

Ben, Elliott, and Adam were slumped against the far wall. Unconscious. Carter, Dean and Sam were held against the wall as Meg gloated. “This was all to drag your father out.” She laughed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Carter could see Elliott, slowly moving towards the altar, quiet as a mouse like Sam and Carter had taught her. While they were all bound, the three of them were working hard to cut the ropes that bound them. Not that it mattered, the moment Elliott tipped the alter, Meg whirled, ready to pounce only to have her own monsters attack her, throwing her from the building. 

Elliott screamed as one of the beast raked its claws across her. Carter was on her in the next second, checking the little girl over. “Grab that book.” Carter ordered Dean, he complied, then untied Ben and picked him up. Carter scooped Elliott up, and waited patiently. Sam tipped Adam over his shoulder and they rushed from the building.

-/-

“I’m not leaving the bag in the car, not after the fucking night we have had.” Carter snarled, Ben was working on unlocking the hotel door. All made it in, and Sam slammed the door behind them. A cough by the window caused all of them, even Elliott to draw weapons.

“Children.” John’s voice made Carter completely drop her weapon.

“DAD!” Carter slammed her whole body into his arms, soon Ben, Adam, and Elliott were on him as well. Dean joined the hug. 

“Hi, Sam.” John nodded at him, a small smile breaking his face.

“Hi, dad.” Sam nodded back at him, unsure what to do, but John broke free from the other five, and wrapped him in a hug, holding him tight.

“Never wanted to bring you back into this.” John clapped his back, then stepped back.

“It was a trap.” Dean grumbled.

“We shouldn’t have called you.” Carter looked stricken.

“You two called him?” Sam asked.

“Actually I did.” Adam groaned.

“You were watching your demon girlfriend.” Ben signed.

“It’s alright, I thought it might have been.” John nodded.

“Were you there?” Sam asked.

“Uhuh, watched that girl take a swan dive, she as the bad guy right?”

‘Yes sir.” They all answered.

“Good. Well It has tried to stop me before.” John grumbled.

“The demon?” Carter and Adam said together.

“It knows I am close. It knows I am going to kill it. Not just exercise it - but actually kill it.” John offered.

“How?” Dean asked.

John smiled, when he did it made Carter shiver. “I’m working on that.”

“Dad, let us come with you, we can help.” Sam sounded like he was begging.

Carter chanced a look at Dean. John had scooped up Elliott, and had Ben tucked under his arm, just pleased to be back with the kids. “No, Sam, not just yet. Just try to understand. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don’t want you caught in the crossfire. I don’t want you hurt.”

“Dad, you don’t have to worry about us.” Sam groaned.

“Of course I do, I’m your father.” He paused. “Listen, Sammy, last time we were together we had one hell of a fight.”

“Yes, sir.” Sam agreed, his eyes on his shoes.

“It’s good to see you again.” John’s voice broke a little, he sat down Elliott, then drew Sam in for another hug, tears streaming down his face. Carter felt her own tears, relief flooding her veins. “It’s been a long time, son.”

“Too long.” Sam sniffled.

The lights flickered, Carter grabbed Ben who was close enough to her in the same moment Adam grabbed Elliott. Shadows danced across the wall, all the children and John thrown away from each other. Dean’s strangled cry broke the air. “NOOOOOO!”

-/-

“GET LIGHTERS!” Adam shouted. “THEY ARE SHADOW MONSTERS CAN'T STAND LIGHT!”

Carter growled, her body had been slammed into the bag she had demanded to bring in, she grabbed a flare from it, “CLOSE YOUR EYES! SAM GET YOUR SISTER!” She lit the flare, and bowed her head. 

They managed to crawl out on their hands and knees. They found the car quickly. Carter was shoving the others into it. Sam, Dean and Carter hovered around their father. “Once the flare is out, they will be back, let’s go.” Sam ordered.

“Wait, wait, wait! Sam, wait!” Dean shouted. “Dad, you can’t come with us.” 

“What? What are you talking’ about?” Sam stared open mouthed at him.

“He’s right, Sammy, you know he is.” Carter tugged on his sleeve.

“You three and Adam, your beat to hell.” John groaned.

“We’ll be alright.” Carter and Dean said at once. 

“Dean, we should stick together. Carter, we'll go after those demons…” Sam tried.

“Dammit Sammy, no.” Carter breathed.

“Sam! Listen to me! We almost got Dad killed in there. Don’t you understand? They are not going to stop. They will try again. They will use us to get to him. I mean, Meg was right. Dad’s vulnerable when he is with us. We are his weakness.” Dean growled.

“He… He is stronger without us, Sammy.” Carter snapped. She lunged at her father, tugging him close. 

“Take care, old man, I’ll take care of your boys and El, I promise.”

“Good girl.” John kissed her forehead, ducked in the car long enough to kiss Elliott, “I promise soon, baby you and I will get to know each other.” He clasped Ben on he shoulder and signed, “Take care of El, she is your little sister.” Then he ruffled Adam’s hair, and held the door open for Carter to fall into the backseat next to Ben. Elliott climbed onto Adam’s lap.

“Dad… please no.” Sam reached out for his shoulder, Dean’s face constricted in pain. “After everything, all the time we spent looking for you, please… I gotta be a part of this fight.” In the car Carter was fighting back tears, and Adam was hiding his face in Elliott's hair, Ben was clutching Carter’s bloody frame, and his face was buried in her ribs.

“Sammy, this fight it's just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play. For now, you’ve got to trust me son.” Sam frowned, tears welling in his eyes. “Okay, you’ve got to let me go, son.” IT took Sam another moment to finally let John’s shirt front go. 

John looked to Dean for a moment, they nodded at each other, then John turned from them and walked away. “Be careful, take care of each other.”

“Come on.” Dean ordered, shoving Sammy at the car, they watched for a moment as John’s truck disappeared. Dean took off, back end sliding out from under them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam covered the four asleep in the back with the ratted flannel blanket Mary Winchester had made for Dean years ago. He looked at Dean for a moment, then rested his head on his brother's shoulder. “No chick flick moments, right now, just, need my brother.”

“I know Sammy.” Dean sighed, letting Sam rest his head on him. No music played, the windows barely cracked. He felt his own tears run down his cheeks as the road opened up before them. When Dean finally stopped the car it was because he couldn’t see anymore. He pulled over on an empty stretch of highway, and leaned his head back. He dozed off next. It was well after the sun rose that they woke, any of them. It was Carter who woke first, itching from the blood dried on her.

She chuckled to herself, regardless of her father leaving again, at least they knew he was alright. Realizing you were someone's weakness was empowering in its own way. She looked ahead at the highway. There were several scrapes and bruises that needed to be treated. On her flesh as well as theirs. She grunted, Dean was awake, his eyes glancing in the rearview. Silently they understood each other. They younger four would sleep as long as they needed.

-/-

The motel was not as nice as their normal ones, but between them they had thirty bucks, so one night, and one bed. Elliott she tended to first, she needed stitches and Carter was pretty sure her ribs were bruised. She ripped the pillows from the bed, and laid Elliott at the top of it. She moved to Ben, next. His shoulder was dislocated, and it took a lot more force than necessary to pop it back into place. Adam helped her lift him into bed. Then she stitched Adam’s forehead up, and forced his nose back into place. He had broken several fingers on his right hand, so with Dean’s help she bound them. Sam was next, he was barely standing on his own. They bound his ribs, and she cleaned the blood off of him. Dean helped her extract glass from her collarbone, then shakily he stitched her up. His stitches were never as nice as hers, they would leave scars. With tired hands she cleaned Dean up, sewing his arm up, and tugged him to bed with her. It was a tight fit, but the six Winchester children, most of which were not children anymore, slept for almost 18 hours straight. 

Carter woke first, Dean’s arm slung round her middle, Sam back to back with her, Adam on his back, tucked tight to Sam, with Ben snuggled to his side, and Elliott spooned to Ben. She smiled to herself. No matter how old they got, they were always the little kids that John Winchester left behind. They were the safest together, they were codependent. Carter had accidently raised Adam and Ben, and was now raising Elliott to be codependent. None of them hold their own personalities one hundred percent, a little of each sibling had rubbed off and had immersed itself into each one's soul.

Carter frowned, they could never, and would never be able to stand alone. Sam had tried, but the postcard game, and occasional phone calls let her know how he was. Where he was. Sam needed them as much as they needed him. Sluggishly she detangled herself, and walked three city blocks to the nearest Gas N Sip. She bought beer, junk food, and some cereal. Even some sodas. She picked up a newspaper that caught her attention. The top of the newspaper read, “Hell House, faked or real?”

-/-

By the time she made it back, everyone was awake, and as clean as they could be. Dean was carefully braiding Elliott's hair down her back. “Glad you remembered how to do that!” Carter cheered.

“Food?” Adam looked hopeful.

She nodded, “And I think I found a case.”

“Already?” Sam looked tired or maybe like he cried the whole time he was in the shower, her heart tugged. She crossed the room, hugging his head to her chest, and petting his unruly curls. Sam sagged into her arms. 

“Shhh.” Her voice was soft, as she carded her fingers through his hair. Adam and Ben both were resting against the headboard, both reached forward, patting Sam.

“Tatertot, I was selfish.” He whimpered.

Dean sank down beside him, Elliott in his arms, “You're allowed to be, you were the one who was better and is better than this life.” Dean sighed. “We shouldn’t have interfered.”

“We did right.” Adam growled. “Or Sam woulda died in the fire, or worse, been taken by the monster.”

“You said you wanted us to be a family right?” Sam asked.

“Yea.” They all chanted.

“I think I wanna try.” Then he separated from her, and looked at them all. “Family.”

The moment hung in the air, then Dean cleared his throat. “About that case?”

“There is a little town… with a big legend that is rapidly growing. The Hell House.” She dropped the newspaper on the bed.

-/-

They took off down the road the next morning. Carter, Adam, and Ben lodged in the back. Elliott in the middle seat of the front. Dean smiled to himself as he looked over and noticed Sam sleeping, mouth hanging open. He fished out a spoon from breakfast, and gently tucked it into his mouth, then drug out his phone, snapping a picture of Sam. Dean cut the music up as loud as he could, causing all of his siblings to jerk awake.

“Haha, funny.” Sam snapped tossing the spoon out the window. He shot a glared at Dean, then looked at Elliott. “Wanna sit by the window again?”

“Mhmm, Sammy.” Elliott climbed into his lap, and rested her chin on her folded arms, on the window frame of the door, the wind pushing past them.

Dean was still laughing, “heh heh heh. Sorry, not a lot of scenery here in East Texas, kinda gotta make your own.”

Carter rolled her eyes, “Boys your not little kids anymore, please don’t teach El and Ben to prank each other.”

“Yea.” Sam growled. “This is stupid and we shouldn’t start this up again.”

“Start what up?” Dean asked innocently.

“The Prank Wars!” Adam, Carter and Sam snapped at once. 

“Aw, whats wrong Sammy? Scared your going to get some nair in your shampoo again?” Dean smirked.

“He was not the only one who suffered you ass.” Carter growled, smacking at him from the backseat.

“Alright, just remember, you started it.” Sam jabbed a finger at Dean, then started watching out the window with Elliott.

“Where are we anywhere?” Adam grunted stretching out.

“Few hours out of Richardson.” Dean growled.

“Go over the case again, please?” Adam sighed, stretching.

“About a month or two, a group of teens went poking around this haunted house… well, reputed to be haunted house.” Carter started.

“Haunted by what?” Dean asked, turning the radio completely off.

Elliott spoke next, “Apparently, a pretty misogynistic spirit. Legend goes, it takes girls and strings them up in the rafters. Anyway this group of kids see this dead girl hanging in the cellar.”

“Elliott, stop reading case files.” Carter pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Anybody ID the corpse?” Dean asked, looking back at Carter.

“Well, that's the thing. By the time the cops got there the body was gone. So cops are saying the kids were just yanking chains..” Sam offered.

Dean sighed, rubbing his face. “Maybe the cops are right.”

“Maybe, but I read a couple of the kids firsthand accounts. They seemed pretty sincere. Carter read them too.”

“Where did you read them?” Adam asked.

Carter chuckled nervously, then said, “Well, I knew we were going to be passing through Texas. So, umm, last night, I surfed some local ... paranormal websites. And I found one…”

“And what's it called?” Dean questioned.

“HellHoundsLair.com” Sam supplied.

“And let me guess, it comes right from moms basement.” Adam chuckled.

“Or better yet, it comes from the garage.” Dean giggled.

“Probably.” Carter and Sam said in unison.

“Where are we going to find the kids to talk to?” Adam asked. 

“Probably where you’d find them in any town.” Carter laughed, her hands tired from signing quickly to Ben.

“Where is that?” Both Dean and Ben asked.

“Mall.” Sam grunted.

-/-

"So, how did talking to the kids go?” Carter asked. The motel they were staying at had a mini kitchen in the rooms, so Carter had made lasagna, and lemonade. The kids were gathered in a circle of books and journals on one bed, with cups balanced between their knees, and bowls in hand, occasionally pausing to turn the page of a book. She handed Sam a bowl and cup, then Dean. 

“Found out where the house is, and about a legend, Mordechai Murdoch, a man who reportedly killed his six daughters during the 1930s.” Sam told her, elbowing his way onto the bed.

“Murdoch, there is no one in the death records with that name,” Carter started. “I would know we have been through all of them since the town was chartered in like 1865.” 

“Really?” Dean sighed.

“Maybe we should check out the house.” Carter concluded.

“I’m going!” Adam started.

“When she said we, she meant all of us. Ghost are easy, and Elliott needs the practice, needs some time in the field.” Dean informed them, locking eyes with Carter, as if asking her argue with him.

“Right.” Carter agreed.

-/-

Stumbling through the mud and the muck that led to the cabin, Elliott on Adam’s back, Ben’s arm looped into Carter’s, Sam and Dean in the lead, Carter was second guessing bringing the younger two children along. “I can see why those brats didn’t wanna come back here.” Dean grumbled.

“Great curb appeal, huh?” Carter laughed.

Dean quickly withdrew his EMF reader and they made their way into the house. “Anything?” Adam asked.

“Yeah. This is no good.” He motioned to the reader.

“Why?” Sam asked.

Carter nodded towards the power pole, “I think that thing’s still got some juice in it, and it’s messing with the readings.”

“That’d do it.” Ben signed.

Inside the walls were decorated in symbols and sigils. “Shit, looks like Murdoch was a tagger in his time.” Dean chuckled, looking around the room.

“And after his time too.” Carter grunted.

“That reverse cross has been used by Satanists for centuries but this sigil of sulfur didn't show up in San Francisco until the '60s…” Sam ran his fingers across the sigil.

“And that is why you two never get laid.” Dean chuckled.

“Hey what about this one, you seen this one before?” Elliott asked, pointing Sam towards a symbol all the siblings looked at with awe. The symbol itself is a cross with a dot in the middle. The bottom stroke looked like an upside-down question mark.

“No.” They echoed. “Never.” Carter reached up to brush her fingers along it easily.

Dean cocked his head to the side, “I have. Somewhere.”

“It's paint. Seems pretty fresh too.” Carter inspected her fingers, hand outstretched to Dean.

“I don't know guys. You know I hate to agree with authority figures of any kind, but ... the cops may be right about this one.” Dean frowned.

“Hate to agree.” Carter sighed.

A light crash in the kitchen sprung them all into action. Carter wedged in a corner, Ben crouched behind her. Sam with Elliott on his back on one side of the door frame, Dean across from him. Adam in the corner parallel to Carter. Silence overtook them. Lights took them by surprise. “CUT ITS HUMANS!” A man's voice broke the silence.

-/-

“You are looking for the ghost.” Carter repeated.

“And you claim to be professionals?” Sam questions.

“Wait, professional what's?” ASked Elliott.

“Paranormal investigators.” One of them said.

“Riiiight.” Adam chuckled. Somewhere behind him Dean snorted, as his hands moved to explain to Ben what was going on.

“Please tell me you are kidding right now?” Dean asked, only to be handed a card.

“Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spangler? Hellhoundslair.com. You guys run that website.” Sam said as he looked over the card that Dean had been handed.

“Yeah.” Both men looked smug.

“We're huge fans, trust me.” Carter deadpanned.

“We know who you are too.” One of them asserted.

“And who are we?” Adam growled.

“Amatures.” The pudgy one said.

Carter was not about to learn the differences between the two men, instead she rolled her eyes and looked around the room. “So if you don’t mind, we are trying to conduct a serious investigation here.” The skinny one said.

“And what do you have so far?” Dean snarled.

“Tell uhm about EMF!” The pudgy one ordered.

“Well…” The skinny one started.

“Can we just go?” Ben signed, clearly not interested in what they were on about.

“Ben’s right, let’s go.” Adam snapped, pushing past the film crew.

-/-

“Well, that was… fun.” Carter giggled.

“Still no luck finding anything about the man who is supposed to be haunting the house.” Adam growled.

“Any luck at the police station?” signed Ben.

“Well those kids didn't really give us a clear description of that dead girl but I did hit up the police station. No matching missing persons. It's like she never existed. Dude, come on, we did our digging, man, this one's a bust all right. For all we know those hellHound boys made up the whole thing.” Dean snapped.

“Let’s go drink.” Carter suggested, they all headed to the car, standing sort of away from it until Dean climbed in. Loud mexican music powered through as the heat came on, and the windshield wipers went crazy. Dean cut his eyes at Sam.

Carter snickered, as Dean turned the radio off, and ushered everyone into the car. 

-/-

“So someone was attacked, by Murdock.” Adam grunted.

“Well, the cops are saying she hung herself.” Carter grumbled.

“Dean, what do you think?” Sam asked.

“I think we missed something.” Dean snapped, looking at them.

“So back to the house?” Ben signed.

“Tonight?” Elliott asked.

“Yeah. Tonight. Do you two wanna go with us?” Carter asked.

“YES!” They both snapped.

-/-

Carter sighed looking down at her journal, in her sprawling penmanship, she wrote: 

“Tulpa’s are complete assholes. First they are created once this sigil is drawn, then enough belief has to gather around it, if enough people believe, whatever the Tulpa is considered of, becomes true. Problem - if said creation is believed unkillable, guess what it’s FUCKING unkillable. The internet sucks in this realm. Also, those Ghostfacer kids are going to cause us more trouble than needed. Elliott got eight stitches over left eye, thanks to one of them hitting her with a camera. They took the, “We are Winchesters, this is what we do for a living, no we don’t want your help, there are more than ghost in the world.” speech pretty well. Ben and Dean solved the problem, burned down the house after we salted everything. Sam has a cracked rib, that dumb Tulpa was pretty stout. I… I have a broken nose. Were headed out tonight, I am not sure where, but, things are changing with Sam, he seems like he feels like he belongs now.”


	6. For Whom The Bell Tolls

Sam smiled as they entered a roadhouse, lots of loud music and food. Dean was carrying Elliott, Carter had her arm looped through one of Ben’s, and Adam was walking in step with Sam. They found a corner table. “What are we celebrating again?” Sam asked.

“Family!” Carter offered up, a snarky grin on her face. Dean took his spot at the round booth right next to her, Elliott beside him, and Sam on the outside next to Elliott. Ben slid into the booth next to Carter, and Adam next to him. “Order whatever you want!” 

“Seriously?” Ben signed.

“Seriously.” Dean nodded.

Ben and Elliott had ice cream and cake for dinner. Adam had a large breakfast platter. Sam had a huge caesar salad. Carter had a chinese themed platter. Dean had a triple bacon cheeseburger with chili cheese fries. They ordered a apple pie to go around. “What’s the occasion, for real?” Sam asked.

“Can’t we just eat a nice meal?” Dean inquired.

“A’ight.” Sam laughed, sipping on his beer. “Guess you two hustled the hell out of that pool game last night, huh?”

“Something like that.” Carter nodded, smiling.

Adam looked between his siblings and smiled a small smile. “Thanks for all you do, even the shit you guys do that we have no clue about.” He ducked his head and went back to eating.

“Adam’s right.” Sam started. “You two seriously hold us together, and there has to be a lot that goes into keeping Baby running, and us in money for food and the kids clothes.”

“Thank you.” Ben signed.

“I love you,” Elliott told them both. “No one ever showed me any kind of affection before, my mom wasn’t around much. And, well, dad didn’t know about me.”

“It’s nothing.” Carter and Dean both said, reflecting the praise, heads ducked and devouring their food.

“Your kids are the cutest, but who are these strapping young men?” Their waitress asked.

“Thank you, but, were all siblings.” Carter winked at the pretty redhead, who blushed.

It was a skill set she and Dean had, a true testament to street skills. Whether you liked either Carter or Dean, when they flirted with you, regardless of your gender, there was something under the surface, something amazing that seemed to resonate from them, that drawed you in. “Let… let me know if you need anything, ok?”

“Sure, darling.” Dean cooed after her.

The two shared a look, and then smirked. Sam rolled his eyes, “Adam are they always in a competition.”

“Dude, you have no idea.” Ben signed before Adam could answer.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

“Text message from dad.” Adam waved the phone in front of Dean’s face. “Says it's unfinished business for you, Dean.”

Dean frowned, “Fitchburg, Wisconsin.” He looked at Carter for a moment.

“Shit, Dean, we were only there once, and that was… the striga.” Carter shivered. “Sammy, you probably don’t remember, but… Dean and dad got into an argument, and Dean decided to leave us alone asleep in the motel while he went to the arcade. Dad made it back before anything serious happened to us…” Carter paused.

“What is a striga?” Adam asked.

“A barrel of trouble.” Dean frowned.

“A striga is vampiric witch, it steals life force, one dementor like kiss, think Harry Potter, and it feeds off the life force, until the child drifts into a coma.” Carter explained.

“Does this mean we need bait?” Ben signed.

“Unfortunately, yes. It will be interested in both you and El.” Dean looked stricken.

“I’ll help.” El decided.

“How do you kill it?” Adam asked, his concern was growing.

“You can only ice it when it’s feeding.” Carter grumbled.

-/-

Dean remembered the first time they were here, in this small town. John had been hunting most days, and both Sammy and Tatertot were irritating to no end. Carter was happily eating a piece of bread for breakfast, when Sammy started in, “I’m sick of spaghetti-o's.” Sam whined.

“Well - you're the one who wanted them.” Dean snapped, eyes pointed at Carter.

“I’m fine with bread, Beany.”

“Good.” Dean gruffed, looking at his little sister she looked much too skinny, hell they all did.

“I want lucky charms, Beany.” Sam whined.

“There are no more lucky charms.” Dean lied.

“I saw the box!” Sam whined.

“Okay, maybe there is but, there's only enough for one, and I havn’t had any!” Dean whimpered. “You and Tatertot had some.”

Sam looked at Dean, big puppy dog eyes, Carter rolled her eyes. With a glare, Dean poured the bowl of cereal and filled it with milk, handing it down to Sam. Dean snatched the spaghetti-o's up and spooned some of them onto the plain bread Carter was eating, then chowed down on the bowl. Sam reached into the box of lucky charms, “Do you want the prize?” Asked Sam, holding it out for Dean.

Dean chuckled and took the plastic bag from him, inside was a book. His brows furrowed, and he sighed. The front door jingled, John slipped in, beer in hand, and ignored the three children completely, beer cradled in his arms, dropped into a recliner.

-/-

All but three kids had fallen ill when they made it town. Carter immediately drug Adam to the library while Sam and Dean visited the hospital. Ben and Elliott were tucked away in the hotel room. It was agreed between the siblings that the kids would never be alone in the room, after dark.

The first night nothing happened, but the next morning only two children were still healthy in town. They spread out, Dean and Sam taking the hospital to talk through what happened with each individual child. They spent a lot of time talking to the doctor, even introduced Carter as their trainee.

How she managed to keep her cool, was beyond her. She recognized the good doctor from a photo taken in the hospital, when the first series of children fell ill. The picture was dated in the late 1890s. Carter smiled at him, shaking his hand, and then shied away.

It was not until they were back at the hotel, Adam greeted them at the door, positively beaming with excitement. “Hey, so… this striga has bounced around, hit here twice as you know… Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just ... languish in comas and then they die. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show.... Whoa. Carter… did you flag this so I would pick it out?”

“Yea, remember how I kept away from the good doctor? It’s him he’s the striga.” Carter offered. 

“Let me see that picture!” Dean ordered jerking the crinkled photograph from Adam’s grasp and “We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing. “

“That son of a bitch.” Sam grumbled.

-/-

“Alright, let’s tuck you two into bed.” Carter nodded at them, pushing them under the covers, and kissing their foreheads. “Were going to be out, ok?” She said it loud in hopes that the striga was listening.

“Ok, we will watch out for each other.” Elliott told her, smiling at Carter.

The kids kind of knew what was going on, that they were bait. It had taken Carter a lot of convincing with Ben, since multiple times playing victim had gotten him hurt, with their dad at the helm. “Night.” Ben signed to her.

-/-

A room away, they had set up security cameras. Watching Carter was pacing. “Are you sure these rounds will work?”

“Yea, dad used them last time, concentrated silver rounds.” Dean grumbled.

“Dean, Carter, I’m sorry.” Sam muttered.

“For what?” Carter asked, Adam had stilled his sister, jerking her down into his lap, tightening his arms around her so she would relax.

“You know, I’ve given you lots of crap, about always doing what Dad says, but I understand now.” Sam grunted.

“Oh, God help me.” Carter grumbled.

“Kill me now, we doing feelings?” Dean snapped.

Adam and Sam both chuckled. “Shit, look.” Adam jerked himself and Carter up, pointing at the computer screen, “It’s in there.”

-/-

Guns blazing the boys rushed in, Carter a step behind. Ben and Elliott rolled of the bed, and tucked themselves under it. The striga collided with Dean and Adam, sending both sprawling out and onto the wall. Sam raised his gun, only to be slammed down by the striga. The striga knocked Carter on to the bed, hovering over her, mouth open. Carter could feel the energy draining from her. Dean, Sam, and Adam all rose as one, firing rounds at the beast. The striga seemed to seep pure energy from every pore, then it disintegrated.

Carter felt hands on her, yanking her up and looking her over. Dean tossed her over his shoulder and took her to the Impala. They didn’t bother to check out, they had paid in cash and used alias’ that they would never use again. 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Carter was stretched out awkwardly in the front seat, her head on Dean’s thigh, and her body sprawled across the middle seat and Sam’s lap. Adam was lounging in the back floorboard, with Ben and Elliott curled up together in the backseat, under the family blanket. Once more Creedence Clearwater Revival was playing, lowly in the car, with Dean strumming his fingers against the steering wheel. Humming along to “Midnight Special” he eventually found himself singing the words, and to his amazement, Carter was singing too. Her combat boot clad feet out the window, ankles crossed. The Winchester’s were used to sleeping in odd positions. 

_“Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring  
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing  
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan  
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me  
Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?  
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore  
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand  
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me  
If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right  
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all  
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down  
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me  
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me” _

For a moment neither spoke, the clock on the dash read midnight, the irony was not lost on Carter. “Everyone asleep?” She asked slowly.

“Yeah, everyone is out cold.” Dean told her.

“Where are we headed?” She asked.

“Upstate New York.” He offered.

“Mhm. We need more money to get there, though, don’t we?” She asked yawning.

“Unfortunately, shall we rock paper scissors, or…?” Dean asked.

“It’s cool, it’s my turn.” Carter stretched a little bit. “Wanna stop at the next truck stop?”

“I can, someday Carter, we won’t have to do this.” Dean told her.

“I know brother, I know.” She reached up, softly rubbing his jaw bone as he sped ahead, she let her hand fall, knotting in his shirt, and shifted slightly, so her face was pressed against his stomach, her legs over Sam, and feet against the door panel. Dean ran his fingers through her tangled mop of hair, humming songs from their childhood. He slid his hand through her blonde locks, turning the dial from cassette to radio, and punching buttons until he found a 80s station, then he resumed running his fingers through her hair. She still didn’t feel all the way back together since the striga business, but she was starting to gain her color back.

Her lip ring glinted in the dark, and Dean chuckled to himself. John had hated that when she got it, it had been the most serious act of rebellion. But in true John fashion he fussed at Dean, yelling about the car, and how much Dean needed to clean his gun. To Carter’s face he had said, point blank, “You can kiss everyone we meet, since it’s silver that’ll let us know who monster’s are.”

-/-

“According to dad, this area, this fifty mile stretch, has had a couple of these over the last forty years.” Carter mused, sitting in the middle, Dean behind the steering wheel. They were eating breakfast, Ben was in the front with them for now, helping Carter flip through the book. In the back seat Sam, Elliott, and Adam were chowing down. 

Dean balanced his burger and flipped through the information Sam had printed off the internet the night before. “Mark and Ann Telesca of New Paltz, New York were both found dead in their own home, a few days ago. Throats were slit. There were no prints, no murder weapons, all… doors and windows locked from the inside.”

“Where did we get the money for lunch?” Elliott asked. 

“Carter hustled one hell of a game of pool around two in the morning, when we stopped for gas. She went into pee, but when she saw all those bikers, man it was too easy.” Dean explained.

“Yeah, managed to walk away with three hundred, not bad huh?” Carter wiggled her eyebrows at Elliott.

“Three hundred, huh.” Adam started. “Can you teach me to play that good?”

“Sure, next time we are not working a case.” Carter promised.

Adam only nodded in her direction. It was easy to cover for Carter and Dean. He wondered how Sam had not figured it out yet, however in looking over at Sam, he could see a look of concentration on his older brothers face.

“Could just be a garden variety murder you know, not our department.” Sam started. “Could be a serial killer.”

“We know how you like them.” Carter winked back at Sam.

“Leave me alone.” Sam mocked defensive.

“Nah, tell me the stats on Dalmer again.” Dean jested.

“Dad noted three murders in the same area of upstate New York. First one here in 1912, second one right here in 1945, and the third in 1970, the same M.O. as the Telescas. Their throats were slit, doors were locked from the inside. Now so much time had passed between murders that nobody checked the pattern, except Dad. He kept his eyes peeled for another one.” Ben read over Carter’s shoulder.

“Ok, I’m in.” Sam laughed. His siblings were pretty spot on when it came to finding cases.

“Are we doing team ups?” Adam asked.

“I think so, yes.” Carter nodded.

“That means… I call Carter!” Sam cheered.

“So that means you're with me, Addy.” Dean gave him a thumbs up.

“Riiiight. So you two are going to the bar, right?” Carter asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“First stop, motel, you two are in charge of research!” Dean looked pointedly at Ben, “You got that?” He waited for Carter to finish signing.

-/-

“We just swept the Telescas with EMF. It's clean. And last night, while you were....well...out…” Sam started, looking between Dean and Adam, “I checked the history of the house. Nothing strange about the Telescas.”

“I checked the history of the whole damn town. Nothing.” Carter grumbled.

“Adam is hung over, isn’t he?” Sam asked.

No response. “Cursed object?” Dean asked suddenly.

“House is clean.” Carter grumbled.

“Yeah, no EMF…”

“No, we mean its empty.” Sam grumbled.

“No furniture, nothing.” Carter added.

“Was given to an auction house.” Elliott informed them, next to Ben they were on the bed, books spread around them, with fast food bags between them.

“Means Beany and Sammy are going to an auction. I’ll get Addy all better.” Carter rolled her eyes. 

-/-

“Sammmmmmy met a girl.” Dean told them all as they entered the hotel.

“Oh did you?” Carter chuckled.

“The auction house owner’s daughter. Her name is Sarah, and she is… very pretty.” Sam explained.

Adam groaned. “Well, anything information wise?”

“Sammy thinking with his dick…” Carter’s voice was low.

“It’s not like that!” Sam raised his hands in defense, backing away from his sister.

“Did we learn anything or not?” Ben shouted, hands signing furiously.

“Yup, Sam is going on a date tonight!” Dean roared with laughter.

“Jesus, why didn’t you say that, ok, come on Sammy, let’s get you looking presentable.” The case completely forgotten, Carter jabbed Sam into a kitchen chair, and started trimming his hair, cutting curls that were beyond rambunctious. She was checking his skin over, scrubbing him in places, and then frantically tearing through their clothes and disguises until she found something both clean and presentable. “Thank God!” She giggled.

“You know this is just for information, riiiight?” Dean asked.

“Information, sex, is she pretty?” Adam asked.

“Real cutie.” Sam informed them.

“Mhm. Have fun, brother.” Carter kissed his cheek.

-/-

“Nice place.” Sam’s eyes danced around the restaurant, wondering if the crumpled ones in his pocket would be enough.

“Yeah.” Sarah agreed, for a moment the silence was tense. “Glad you called, surprised but glad.” Sarah smiled at him.

“Yeah?” Sam quirked a smile.

“Although you seemed to have a hard time getting out the words, ‘will you go to dinner with me’?” She laughed.

“Ahh… well I haven’t really done this in a long while…” Sam’s voice dropped off.

Sarah laughed, “Welcome to the club.”

“Your joking right?” Sam asked, laughing.

The waiter appeared, “Wine list.” He handed it to Sam, and looked at him expectantly. Sam took it, confusion clearly on his face.

“I don’t know about Romeo, but… I’ll take a beer.” Sarah laughed.

“Me too.” Sam handed the wine list back quickly.

Throughout dinner they talked about what each one had studied in school, what they had wanted to do with their degrees, what was holding them back. “It’s not just Dean and me.” Sam started. “We have two sisters and two other brothers.”

“Big family, I am an only child.” Sarah smiled at him. “I know you didn’t ask me here to just talk about us, though.”

-/-

“Provenances.” Sam looked really proud of himself.

“Isn’t that the word for art pedigrees, their histories and authentication?” Carter asked.

“Your both geeks.” Dean grumbled.

“Walking dictionaries.” Adam agreed.

“So… you went back to her place and looked at art pedigrees?” Carter looked disappointed in him.

“You didn't have to con her or do any...special favors or anything like that?” Dean asked, expectantly.

“Could you two get your minds out of the gutters, please.” Sam snapped.

Carter rolled her eyes as Dean laughed, then Dean said, “You know when this whole thing's done, we could stick around for a little bit.”

“Why?” Sam and Adam both asked, curious. 

“So you could take her out again. It's obvious you're into her, even I could see that.” Carter responded.

“Hey, I think I got something!” Elliott snapped, pointing at the book Sam had dropped in her lap.

“Hm?” Carter sank down next to her, her eyes followed Elliott’s gaze, “Portrait of Isaiah Merchant's family, painted 1910." She paused, “Let’s check the ownership.”

Dean and Adam opened the journal between them, “First purchased in 1912, Peter Simms. Peter Simms murdered 1912. Same thing in 1945. Oh, same thing in 1970.” Dean concluded.

Sam was peering over Carter’s shoulder, “Then stored, until it was donated to a charity auction last month. Where the Telescas bought it. So what do you think, it's haunted? or cursed?”

“Either Way we got to burn it.” Ben signed.

-/-

“Ok, Elliott, let me show you how to pick locks!” Sam bent down to his knees, tugging her close, and producing a lock picking kit that he had picked up for her. “Ok, do it like this.” He paused, demonstrating, “Listen for the tumblers… Oh, girl you're going to be an ace at this!” 

“Thank’s Sammy.” Elliott folded the lock pick up and tucked it into her pocket. They forged forward into the auction house, carefully searching for the portrait. Once phone they removed the image, leaving the frame, and headed to the woods. Ben was allowed the privilege of setting it ablaze.

The next morning, Dean realized he had left his wallet. “You dropped it?” Carter glared.

“I guess so, it’s not in my pocket.” Dean sighed.

“You fucking idiot.” Adam smacked him on the head.

“Sam and I can go get it.” Carter declared.

-/-

The painting was definitely not destroyed. The noise that came from Carter when she saw it, had Sam frowning, she gripped his arm, frantically, tugging at his sleeve. “Sammmm.” Her voice low.

“Carter, that’s not… Sarah, that portrait, where is it going?” He asked.

“A local lady bought it. Why?” Sarah asked.

“IT CANNOT!” Carter had apparently found her voice.

“Sarah, meet Carter. Carter, meet Sarah.” Sam sighed, “The painting is a curse, Sarah, we need to know who bought it and we need to destroy it.” 

“I… I’m going with you.” She declared.

Carter started to say no, but could tell that there was no stopping her. “I’ll call Dean.” She said finally.

Loaded into the Impala, Dean was forced to take back seat, with Elliott on his lap. Ben in the middle, and Adam on the far side. “Adam, Ben, El - this is Sarah, the nice girl Sam went out with the other night!” Dean told them. Sarah focused on giving Sam directions to the woman's house.

-/-

Carter was unconscious, slumped over a chair. Ben and Elliott were crouched in a salt line. Dean had been flung from the house. Sam was being drug by the little girl with the scissor’s spirit, and Sarah. She was pinned behind a wardrobe. Adam had been sent to the grave site, where he found three little girl dolls, with human hair on them, he moved fast, busting all three dolls out, and setting them ablaze. 

At the same moment, the spirit disappeared. Sam surged towards Carter, first, checking her over, then Sarah. “You really care about your sister, huh?” Sarah whispered. “Is it gone?”

“Yea, Adam took care of it. Ben you and Elliott head to the car.” Sam signed. Carter was starting to come to, groaning as she raised herself up. She scanned the room, then crawled to Dean’s side.

“Dean…. Beany.” She shook him. Dean’s eyes shot open, and he surged up, they nailed forehead, and groaned. 

“Let’s move, need to get Sarah home.” Sam sighed.

-/-

“Are they going to kiss?” Elliott whispered.

“Mhm.” Adam laughed.

The five Winchester’s watched on as Sam said goodbye to Sarah, promising to come back once more, then he kissed her goodbye.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Laundry day!” Carter sung. Elliott and Adam with her. Sam had taken Ben to find some food, and Dean was doing whatever it was Dean did when they had free time. “Want me to sing?” She asked them. IT was becoming a rare treat, her singing to them. Adam could remember before John disappeared how she would sing constantly, she had a whole list of songs that John had liked when sung by Mary, and their father seemed to think Carter was Mary reincarnated at least when it came to looks and voice.

“Yes, please.” Elliott begged.

“What song?” Carter asked.

“You have not sung Green River in a long time.” Adam declared, it was better sung when she and Dean would break out in song together, but… for the most part Dean wouldn’t sing with her. 

“Hm, you're right.” She smiled, “It has been a long time.” She started to hum, her eyes glistening as she swayed, grabbing at Adam’s hand, and spinning them around, she started, 

_“Well, take me back down where cool water flows, yeah.  
Let me remember things I love,  
Stoppin' at the log where catfish bite,  
Walkin' along the river road at night,  
Barefoot girls dancin' in the moonlight.  
I can hear the bullfrog callin' me.  
Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree.  
Love to kick my feet 'way down the shallow water.  
Shoefly, dragonfly, get back t'your mother.  
Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River.  
Welllllll!  
Up at Cody's camp I spent my days, oh,  
With flat car riders and cross-tie walkers.  
Old Cody, Junior took me over,  
Said, ‘You're gonna find the world is smould'rin'.  
And if you get lost come on home to Green River.’  
Welllllll!  
Come on home.  
Home to Green River.” _

Adam felt a smile break his face, and saw that Elliott was watching Carter with rapt interest. “Where did you learn all the songs you sing, moma?” 

“Well, a lot of them from riding around in the Impala.” She started. “Some I learned from dad, and some from bars we were in.” 

“She remembers them and all that she reads.” Adam informed Elliott.

“She’s brilliant!” Sam said entering the laundry room at the motel, bag of goodies under his arm. “Heard you outside, your singing brought a crowd.” Sam threw his head behind him and Ben, were several kids were mulling around. “You should sing again.”

“I dunno.” Carter frowned, before she could decide really, Dean surged in, newspaper in his hand.

“CARTER!” He snapped, “look here, look here.” He was waving the paper in front of her.

“Daniel Elkins.” Carter paled, visably.

“Elkins, I know that name.” Adam jerked the paper away, scanning through it.

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” Sam shrugged.

“He’s a hunter!” Carter and Dean snapped in unison.

“Right, dad knew him.” Adam agreed. “He specialized in Vamps, right?”

“Mhmm.” Carter nodded. “Sure did. Best vamp killer I have ever seen.”

“Sounds like the police don’t know what to think. They thought it was a bear attack, that happens locally. But now they are finding signs of… robbery.” Sam had taken the paper from Adam and was scanning it.

“We can leave after our clothes dry.” Carter groaned. “And here I was, hoping to swim.” She frowned.

-/-

“This is the cabin.” Carter pointed up ahead. “I came here once with dad. Dad was looking for something he believed Elkins had. You were at Bobby’s.” 

“Ok, let’s check it out.” Dean looked around them. “Ben, inside with me and Sam. Elliott, stay tight to Carter, and Adam, stay on alert, please.”

“You got it!” Carter slipped Elliott’s hand in hers, as she opened the car door. She took the left side of the house, Adam slipped out, headed around the right. Dean led Sam and Ben inside.

“Whatever attacked him, there was more than one. You saw the salt seal we slipped over when we came in.” Dean nodded.

“Look, he had a journal. Carter will want this.” Sam pressed it to Ben, who tucked it into his jacket, and moved past them, eyes lingering on a box sitting on the table. 

“He put up a fight.” Dean said, eyes sweeping over the room.

“Scratches on the floor, and on the table.” Ben spoke and signed. Ben was holding something up, a blood covered piece of paper, on it something was etched. “Three letters, six digits. Same as dad. Mail drop.”

-/-

Carter held the letter in hand, for a long moment she just held her breath. “JW - you think that means John Winchester?” She paused. 

“I dunno should we open it?” Adam asked. Adam, Carter, Ben, and Elliott were all crammed into the back seat. Dean and Sam were in the front. A knock on the window made them all jump. Dean instantly scooted over, and John climbed in.

“Dad? What are you doing here? Are you alright?” Sam asked, trying to look around Dean at his father.

“I’m fine, saw you lot at the cabin. Came as soon as I read about Elkins, Carter you remembered him, I am guessing.” John looked back at his kids housed in the back seat. “You should really get another car.”

“Why didn’t you come in dad?” Sam asked. Dean hadn’t managed to regain his voice apparently.

“You know why. Because I had to make sure you were not followed… by anyone or anything.” He paused as the rain poured down. “Nice job of covering your tracks by the way, even you little Elliott.”

“We learned from the best.” Dean stated.

“Thanks, son. Carter, you remember Elkins and I had a falling out a couple years ago.” John started, “Hand me that, Carter.” Instantly she handed him the letter, John winked at her, then tore it open. “If you're reading this, I am already dead…” His voice trailed off. “That son of a bitch.”

“Dad?” Adam asked from the back seat.

“He had it the whole time.” John growled.

“What did he have dad?” Elliott asked.

“When you searched the cabin, did you see a Colt by any chance?” John asked, eyes looking specifically at Dean.

“There was a case, Ben has it, it was empty.” Dean explained.

“Shit. They have it.” John looked panicked.

“The things that took out Elkins?” Carter clarified.

“We have to pick up the trail.” John snapped.

“Wait, we're coming with you?” Sam asked.

“If he’s telling the truth, yes,” John started. “The colt is very important.”

“Vampires.” Ben said from the backseat. “Elkins was a specialist when it came to Vampires, is that what killed him, Dad?”

“Very good son, very good. We best get to tracking.” John nodded. “Adam, you back there signing everything for Ben?”

“Carter is.” Adam answered.

“Tell Ben that I heard about his recent kill, and good job.” John smiled.

“I thought they were extinct.” Sam started.

“Me too, but… this proves otherwise.” John stated.

“So. Plan?” Carter asked. 

“Most vampire lore is crap, as you guys know - Carter from experience, that was the only vamp I had ever ran across. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust, that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late.” John explained. 

-/-

They checked into a run down motel, John watched with rapt interest as they broke up to sleep. Dean took the outside of one bed, near the middle lamp post, Ben in the middle of his bed, and Adam on the other side. Sam took his spot across from Dean on the other bed, Carter at his back, and Elliott in her arms. He sighed, he could understand now why other hunters were confused by his children, they were all very centered on one another, very focused on each other. 

In his hands he cradled a police radio. He plopped his feet up on the table, and looked back over to see all his kids fast asleep. Alcohol bottles on the edges of the night stands. It should have been peaceful sleep, but he noticed right away Sam twisting and whimpering, Carter was awake quick, wrapping arms around him, drawing him to her. The moment Sam’s head hit her chest/rib junction he stilled, her hands carded through his hair as Elliott wrapped herself tighter to Carter’s other side. 

John cocked his head to the side, worry evident. Something was going on with Sammy, maybe it had already been there, always. Carter and Dean were highly protective of Sam, even when he disobeyed or did something bad. More than once John could remember how irritated he was that his oldest allowed the younger to be insolent.

When the police radio went off, John was up and moving. “Dean, Carter, let’s go.” He realized instantly he would need to do more than speak their names, almost a year apart and they had changed to meet the needs of their siblings. “WINCHESTERS!” John roared.

Everyone jumped, even Ben who was hit by not only Adam but Dean as they flung up in bed. “Whuuuudhappened?” Carter slurred, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“I picked up a police call. A couple called 911, found a body in the street. Cops got there, everyone was missing, car abandoned.” John explained, watching as they all rushed to tug on boots. “Carter, in the truck with me.”

“Yes, sir.” Carter nodded, “Ben, Elliott, you two will remain close to Adam and Sam once we get close, do you understand.” She sighed as she spoke.

“Yes mom.” They answered in unison.

“Vampires, huh. Man, that gets funnier each time I hear it.” Dean chuckled, as he herded them out of the motel room.

-/-

“Dad, why not have Dean ride with you?” Carter asked.

“Dean won’t tell me everything.” John responded. “I know you have always taken care of them, tell me, when exactly did you start selling your body, was it your idea or Deans?” 

Carter froze. “What are you talking about.”

“Met a man, in Reno, said he had a wonderful night with a pretty girl, around the same time several people disappeared, told me she was strikingly beautiful, but even more so when she was naked because of a unique scar.” John continued.

“I decided… I was 14, you threw me at men like a scrap of meat.” Carter snarled.

“I know, I am sorry for that, I thought you only ever did it when I made you.” John frowned. “I wanted to apologize, honey. I love you.” John offered. “Love all of you, but what is going on with Sam, he hasn’t slept like that since he was little.”

“Nightmares.” She lied. “About Jess.”

-/-

“Why did he want Carter to ride with him?” Adam asked.

“Probably expects a full report on us, from the last time we ran into each other.” Dean responded.

They followed behind John’s truck. They arrived behind the police. Carter and John were already talking to the police, badges displayed, and Carter talking animatedly.

“Could of waited on us.” Sam muttered.

“Don’t tell me it's already starting.” Dean frowned.

“What?” Adam asked, innocently, fully aware of what Dean was angry about.

John was back, Carter by his side. “What did you get?” Dean asked.

“Its them.” Carter looked pale.

“They are headed west, we will have to double back to get around the detour.” John offered.

“How can you be so sure?” Sam asked.

“Sam.” Adam sounded irritated.

“I just wanna be sure.” Sam growled back.

“Carter found this.” John pressed a fang into Sam’s hand.

“It’s a vampire… fang?” Dean asked.

“Not fang, tooth. They have a second set.” Carter offered.

“Descends when they attack. Any more questions?” John looked pointedly at Sam.

Sam remained silent, watching John lead Carter back to the truck. Before they made it all the way, John caught Carter and whirled around. “Hey Dean why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it.”

Dean grimaced, and Sam shot him an ‘i told you so’, look. Adam frowned. Dean handed Sam the keys. “Go ahead.” 

-/-

Sam took off following John and Carter. “Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten. Smaller packs are sent to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks.” Dean read, “I wonder if that's what happened to that 911 couple?”

“That's probably what Dad's thinking. Course it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks.” Sam grumbled.

“Definitely starting.” Adam groaned. “Ben I’m not about to sign arguments for you, ok?”

“I don’t want you to. Here, El, headphones and cassette player, already loaded you some jams.” Ben tucked his little sister to him, and frowned.

“What?” Sam demanded.

“Sam, we've been looking for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple of hours and there's static already? No wonder Carter didn’t put up a fight about being stuck with him in the truck.” Dean growled.

“Hmph. No. Look, I'm happy he's ok, all right? And I'm happy that we're all working together again.” Sam snapped.

“Well, good.” Adam sighed, “Maybe show that a little bit?”

Sam hummed, “It's just the way he treats us, like we're children.”

“Oh, God.” Dean sighed.

Adam sighed, before he could talk, Sam started again, “He barks orders at us Dean, he expects us to follow 'em without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal.”

“Sammy, he does what he does for a reason.” Adam sighed.

“What reason?” Sam snapped unable to keep it to himself.

“Our job! There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, all right? That's just the way the old man runs things.” Dean snarled, irritated.

“Yeah well maybe that worked when we were kids but not anymore, all right. Not after everything we have been through, Dean. I mean, are you telling me you're cool with just falling into line, and letting him run the whole show?” Sam looked pissed.

Adam looked at Dean, waiting. Other than Dad and Carter, Dean ruled the group. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, then said calmly, “It that’s what it takes to get the job done.”

-/-

For a while it was complete silence, then Dean’s cell rang. “Carter?” He paused, “Ok, I got it.”

“Got what?” Asked Sam.

“Pull off the road up here.” Dean ordered.

“Why?”

“Because Carter says they have the trail.” Dean deadpanned.

“How?” Adam asked.

“I dunno, she didn’t say…” Dean looked around.

Sam sped up, passing the truck, and slammed on the breaks, blocking the truck's path. Adam groaned, Dean sighed. “Here we fucking go.” Ben muttered from behind them.

Carter was out of the truck first, her face alive with anger. “Sammy, what the hell?”

“SAM!” Dean screamed.

“I wanna talk to dad.” Sam demanded.

“There are less dangerous ways to get my attention, Sam.” John looked just as pissed as Carter. John pressed past Carter and stopped in front of Sam, his hand knotted in Carter’s jacket, something not missed by Dean or Sam. “About what?”

“About everything! Where are we going. What’s the big deal about the gun.” Sam snapped.

“Sammy, come on, we can do a Q&A after we kill the vampires…” Dean tried, by now Adam had joined them outside the vehicles.

“He’s right, Sammy, we don’t have time for this.” Carter growled.

Sam glared at them, then opened his mouth. “Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous for us to be together. Now out of the blue you need our help. Now obviously something big is going down, and we wanna know what!” The shouting rippled through the air.

“Get back in the car.” John ordered.

“No.” Sam snarled, glaring even more at his father.

“I said get back in the damn car.” Already Adam was backing away.

“Yeah. And I said no.” Sam snarled.

“k you made your point tough guy. Look we're all tired, we can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on.” Dean shoved Sam behind him, towards the car, Carter was instantly beside Dean, much like when they were children, putting themselves between Sam and John.

Sam grumbled, “This is why I left in the first place.” Under his breath.

John glared, “What’d you say?”

“You heard me.” Sam raised his chin, glaring back at his father.

“Yeah. You left. We needed you. And you walked away.” John shot, not caring who heard, not realizing that Adam was covering Elliott’s ears in the car, tears on his face, and praying to god they would stop.

“Sam.” Carter warned.

“YOU WALKED AWAY!” John screamed, pushing into both Carter and Dean. Carter instantly pushed back at her father, angry, he slammed the back of his hand across her face, sailing her to the ground. Sam glared at him.

Carter was already on her feet, pressing herself back into her spot by Dean, when Dean spoke. “Stop it, both of you.”

Sam and John shoved Dean and Carter away, standing toe to toe, Sam seethed, “You're the one who said don't come back Dad, you closed that door not me. You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!”

Carter gasped, Dean looked like he had been stung. They both surged between their dad and Sam again, both screaming, “STOP IT! NOW!” Tears on Carter’s face.

“That means you too.” Dean shoved his father backwards.

John stalked back towards the truck, “CARTER, NOW.” He ordered as Sam slithered back into the Impala. Carter just stood there with Dean for a moment, her cheek red and irritated, her lip busted. Dean dipped down to gently kiss the corner of her mouth, where the blood had pooled. 

“Terrific.” They both muttered, heading off in different directions.

-/-

“I shouldn’t have hit you.” John tried, Carter was trying to ignore him.

“Dad, there are a lot of things you shouldn’t have done.” Carter supplied finally.

“Huh?” John asked, watching her cautiously.

“You pushed Sammy, dad, you always have, he doesn’t bend to your will because you and him are too much alike. Your foolish, and determined, your heart is much too big, but the difference is how you show your love.” Carter started. “You can hit me and Dean, insult us, talk down to us, berate us - but don’t you ever ever talk to our children like that again, that was our sin, letting you… letting you try to stamp the light and the hope out of Sammy. Dean and I raised him, raised the others - if you don’t like how we did it, maybe you should pay more attention to your kids, for godsake John Winchester, you didn’t realize that your oldest two have been prostituting themselves out to keep food on the table since they developed adult like bodies. Dean sells himself, I sell myself - you’re gone all the time you sorry son of a bitch, and Sam, his anger, it eats at him, because he sees how you treat us, how you bark orders… he doesn’t understand why we just accept them.” She stopped them.

John didn’t say anything, he remained silent as he parked, then led the children into the woods.

-/-

“Guess they don’t mind the sun, huh?” Dean tried to joke, as one of the vampires exited the barn for a moment. 

“Son of a bitch.” Carter grumbled.

“Ahh, direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn. The only way to kill 'em is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day -- doesn't mean they won't wake up.” John whispered, as they looked on from the tree line.

“So I guess walking right in's not our best option.” Adam sighed.

“Actually, that's the plan.” John grumbled.

Carter shared a quick look with Sam, worry on both their faces, then followed their father and Dean back towards the cars, where they were gathering tools. “Dad, I've got an extra machete if you need one.” Dean offered.

“Thanks, I got it.” John laughed, showing a brand new shiny serrated blade, “Got one for Carter, too.” He handed her a new one, and smiled warmly at his daughter. She worried her lip ring, then slowly accepted the blade. 

“Elliott, Ben you two stay hidden in the car, you got me.” Carter ordered. “Adam guard the car, ok?”

“Sure, momma.” Adam nodded, getting his own machete ready.

“So, you kids really wanna know about this Colt?” John asked, looking at his oldest three.

“Yes sir.” Sam nodded.

“It's just a story, a legend really. Well I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter....” John paused, a small smile gracing his features, then “Back in 1835, when Halley's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo. They say Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. And somehow Daniel got his hands on it.” He paused again, “They say it can kill… anything.”

“Kill anything like, supernatural anything?” Dean asked.

“Like the demon.” Sam suggested.

“Right, exactly like the demon.” John agreed. Carter was still frowning. 

-/-

All four carefully climbed into one of the barn’s windows. John first, followed by Carter, then Dean, then Sam. Carter moved to the far left, flanking her father, while Sam and Dean headed right. Two things happened at once, Carter pointed to the colt, which hung over the bed where a vampire couple slept; Sam and Dean found the woman who they reasoned had called 911. Dean’s eyes moved around the room, finding a cage full of people, “There is more.” Dean frowned.

Sam looked up, then back at the woman, who was opening her eyes. Sam looked ready to calm her down, instead she roared openly at him. “Well fuck.” Sam grunted.

The two vampires in the bed woke, the male who she perceived to be Luther from the female vamp’s scream, slammed into her, sending her slamming into the barn wall. She growled as she smashed into it, and slammed onto the floor. The female was on her then, sinking her teeth into her shoulder, Carter bucked screaming, hand reaching outwards towards the machete. Just out of grasp, extending her fingers, she groaned. She could almost reach it.

Luther flew at John, sending him sprawling backwards. “DON'T DRINK HER BLOOD!” He screamed at Carter, then grasped at the floor, fingers locking on a rock, that he threw at the window seal, above Carter. As the sunlight filtered in, both Luther and the female vampire backed away.

“RUN!” John screamed, dragging Carter up, and shoving her forward. Carter grabbed at her bleeding neck, covering it with one hand, and whimpering.

The branched the tree line, and CArter dropped onto her knees, panting. “They have our scents, dad.”

“They won’t follow, not until night fall.” John agreed.

Dean had knocked Sam from his path, jerking Carter around, until he could get a clear look at her torn flesh. He was chewing his own lip uncertainty. He shed his shirt, and pressed it against her neck. “Adam, get her into the car.” Adam did as he was told. “Sammy, drive baby. I’ll hold Carter in the front seat.”

“What are we doing?” Sam asked their dad.

“We find the nearest funeral home.”

-/-

John managed to convince the funeral director to patch Carter’s neck up, the hole was pretty bad. After he stitched it up, he covered it with several gauze strips. “What did this?” He asked, “And why couldn’t you go to a hospital.”

“Dog, no money.” Adam offered, Carter must have lost a lot of blood because she was still a little on the drunk side, her head loling on his chest. 

“Kids, there is something I wanna talk to you about.” John said once they were at the motel. Carter was eating sluggishly, her body in Sam’s lap. I don't think I ever told you this but ... the day each of you three were born, you know what I did?”

“No.” Sam muttered, making sure Carter was eating the meat on her plate, still not fully recovered from the bite.

“I put a hundred bucks into a savings account for you.” He paused, “It was a college fund. And every month I'd put in another hundred dollars, until... Anyway my point is, kids, this is never the life that I wanted for you. Especially not you, Sammy, you have so much talent and promise.” 

“Then why'd you get so mad when I left?” Sam asked, Carter was stirring more, her whole body itching.

John looked ashamed. “You gotta understand something. After your mother passed all I saw was evil, everywhere. And all I cared about was keeping you three alive. I wanted you...prepared. Ready. Except somewhere along the line I ... uh ... I stopped being your father and I ... I became your, your drill sergeant. So when you said that you wanted to go away to school, all I could think about, my only thought was, that you were gonna be alone. Vulnerable. Sammy, it just... it never occurred to me what you wanted. I just couldn't accept the fact that you and me -- We're just different.” John grumbled it out. 

Sam cracked a smile and started laughing. Dean and Carter shared a look.

“What?” Asked John.

“We're not different. Not anymore. With what happened to Mom and Jess... Well we probably have a lot more in common than just about anyone.” Sam explained.

“I guess you're right, son.” John felt a smile tug on his features.

“Hey Dad? Whatever happened to that college fund?” Carter asked, she could literally see the dollar signs in her mind, three funds worth of money…

“I spent it on ammo.” John said straight face.

Adam, Carter, Dean, Sam, and John burst out laughing. Both Ben and Elliott looked confused. “Did we get the blood?” Carter asked.

“Yeah, you and Adam were a good distraction, honey.” John clapped her on the shoulder, and kissed her forehead. He ruffled Adam’s hair and walked past them, to peer out the window.

-/-

Carter and Dean were leaned over the Impala, both tinkering, when a woman arrived to ‘help’. “Care trouble?” She asked.

Carter wrinkled her nose, “You could say that.”

“Let me give you two a life.” She asked, “Name's Katie.” 

Dean laughed, “Nah I'll pass. I usually draw the line at necrophilia.”

Carter grinned, but that grin was wiped from her face when the Kate vampire backhanded her, then punched Dean. A second Vampire emerged, dragging Carter up, cupping her dangling form with one hand, holding her by her neck. Kate lifted Dean in a similar manner. Dean grunted out, “I don't usually get this friendly until the second date but…”

The vampire cracked a smile at him, “You know, we could have some fun. I always like to make new friends.” She kissed him sharply on the lips, biting his lip as she did so. Dean could hear Carter screaming behind him, but had no what was happening. 

“Oh. Whuf. Sorry. I don't usually stay with a chick that long. Definitely not eternity.” Dean chuckled. Dean heard a thud behind him. And Carter grasping for life, sputtering. The same moment an arrow imbedded the Kate vampire’s ribs. 

Dean looked around as he was dropped. Both Vampires had arrows in them. “Dammit,” She moaned, “It doesn’t even sting.”

“Give it some time.” John snapped.

“That arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like poison to you isn't it?” Sam snapped.

“Load her up.” John ordered Dean and Sam, they tossed Kate into the trunk. John hauled Carter to her feet, then handed her a machete. “Take care of that one.” Carter looked like she could hardly stand. Dean could see that blood was trickling from her ribs, she swayed, but brought the machete down on the vamp’s neck, separating head from body, then she buckled, her body falling. John nudged her with his foot, and sighed. “Told you both she was not ready to come out.” 

Sam scrambled forward, scooping Carter up. “We have to take her back to the hotel.”

“No time.” John snapped.

-/-

She woke up to an argument. She could feel someone stitching her ribs up, and she groaned. “Dean…” Her voice wavered. 

“Carter, I’m glad your ok.” Dean kissed her temple, and looked her over.

“What’s wrong.” Carter asked low.

“The normal, dad wants to take off. Sam’s mad about it.” Dean muttered.

“Am I bait?” Carter asked.

“I think so, I think Dad is going to use you.” Dean frowned.

Carter’s brow furrowed. “Fuck that.”

“Sorry.” Dean sighed. “I am supposed to take you and go back to the barn, and let some folks out.” 

“Ok.” Carter stood sluggishly. Sam and John looked at her. “I need help walking, so Dean and I are going to head on towards the… barn.”

-/-

John had Kate a knife point, Luther was sneering at him. Carter slumped against a tree. “Go on.” She whispered to Dean and Sam, letting her body slide down the tree.

They nodded at her, then slipped forward. Luther surged forward, backhanding John, sending him backwards. Kate laughed, joyfully. Sam surged from the tree line, as Dean let an arrow fly from the crossbow. Carter sighed a small heave, knife ready should any wayward creatures cross her. Sam flew backwards, her vision growing hazy as she tried to watch.

Luther had caught Sam, and had his head in his hands, preparing to snap his neck. Dean dropped the crossbow, and backed away. At the same moment John fired the colt, the vampire sire dropped. The other vampires fled. The next thing Carter knew, John was picking her up, carrying her back towards the road.

-/-

“So, kids.” John started.

“Yes, sir.” Sam looked at him over his shoulder.

“You disobeyed a direct order back there.” His voice carried. Adam swallowed hard, signing furiously to Ben.

“Yeah, and we totally saved your ass.” Dean grumbled, still cleaning his gun.

“You're right.” John agreed.

“I am?” Dean said right as all five of the other siblings said, “He is?”

“It scares the hell out of me. You guys are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So...we go after this damn thing. Together.” John told the whole room. “We make this work as a family.”

“Yes Sir!” All six cheered.


	7. Highway to Hell

“Where are we going?” Carter asked. 

“We are going to Manning, Colorado.” Adam told her, as he ran his fingers through her hair. “We are following dad. Elliott and Ben are riding with him.”

“Oh, what's in Colorado?” She asked, yawning. She had lost half her body's blood between the two vampire bites.

“Dad’s research.” Sam said, from the driver's seat. Carter sat up a little bit, to see Dean fast asleep on the window. 

“We are stopping, small shack. Adam are you going to help Carter in?” Sam asked. 

“Sure.” Adam nodded.

Sam reached over and shook Dean awake. “We are here, Dean.”

-/-

The room was wall to wall information on the demon with yellow eyes, weather patterns, house fires, mysterious deaths, missing persons. Carter’s eyes widened as she looked it over. “So this is it. This is everything I know. Look, our whole lives we been searching for this demon right? Not a trace, just...nothing. Until about a year ago. For the first time I picked up a trail.”

“And that’s when you took off?” Dean asked, he was sitting at the kitchen table, under several charts pinned to the wall. Ben was in the chair next to him, and Elliott sitting on the table. Adam was directly across from Dean, with Carter in his lap. Sam was leaned against the counter, next to John. 

“Yeah. That's right. The demon must have come out of hiding, or hibernation.” John offered.

“Demons hibernate?” Carter asked.

“Maybe, not sure.” John sighed.

“All right, so what is this trail you have found?” Sam asked.

“It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California. Houses burned down to the ground. It's going after families, just like it went after us.” John continued on.

“All families with infants?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. The night of the kid's six-month birthday.” John agreed.

“I was six months old that night?” Sam asked.

“Exactly six months old.” John confirmed.

“So basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason. The same way it came for me? So Mom's death...Jessica. It's all because of me?” Sam looked downtrodden.

“Sam, we don’t know that. Don’t say that.” Carter whimpered.

“Oh really? Cause I'd say we're pretty damn sure.” Sam snapped.

“Don’t talk to momma like that.” Ben shouted.

“Are you signing the conversation for him?” Dean asked Elliott, who nodded a broad smile on her face. “Thank you, baby.”

“For the last time, what happened to them was not your fault.” Carter snapped.

“Right, not my fault, but my problem.” Sam snapped back at her.

“No it's not your problem it's our problem!” Adam and Dean shouted at once.

John snarled, “Okay, that’s enough.”

After a moment of calm, “So why's he doing it. What does he want?” Elliott asked.

“Look I wish I had more answers, I do. I've always been one step behind it. Look, I've never gotten there in time to save....” John muttered.

“All right so how do we find it..before it hits again.” Dean asked.

“There's signs. It took me a while to see the pattern but it's there in the days before these fires signs crop up in an area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And then I went back and checked...and…” John started.

“These things happened in Lawrence.” Carter stated, her voice low.

“A week before your mother died. And in Palo Alto...before Jessica. And these signs, they're starting again.” John confirmed.

“Still don’t see why it went after Jess.” Dean sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Where?” Adam asked, ignoring Dean.

“Salvation, Iowa.” John told them.

-/-

Carter was feeling much better. For once she was driving her dad’s truck, with Elliott in the middle, and John relaxing in the passenger seat. Behind them all four boys were tucked in the Impala. “Dad, can we get food?” Elliott asked, nudging him awake.

“Mhm, sure, honey.” John nodded. The two seemed to be forging a relationship, Carter wasn’t holding her breath. It had taken her several months just to find something that El would wear comfortably. She liked black wool leggings tucked into combat boots, with a longsleeve white or grey shirt and a pale blue or green sack dress over top. She wore a plaid button up shirt over it most days, and her long rambunctious strawberry blond hair was tucked up in twin messy buns, with pretty yellow ribbons tied around them. She also wore a cross necklace, that had once belonged to Mary Winchester, that had been handed down to Carter, and Carter had handed it down to Elliott the first time a thunderstorm had scared her, promising the woman who wore it first would protect her, like she always had Carter.

Carter turned off the highway, and into a diner. Behind her the Impala followed. “Lunch!” She called to Dean, as the all headed inside. No sooner than they had sat down, John’s phone rang. Carter was cutting up Elliott’s pork chop. Ben was elbowing Adam, something they always did at the dinner table. Dean was hitting on their waitress, and Sam had his arm slung around Carter’s shoulders. “God damn it!” John spat.

“What dad?” Carter asked quickly.

“Son of a bitch.” John growled.

“What is it?” Dean asked.

John hung up the phone. “That was Caleb.”

“Caleb, hunter Caleb?” Adam asked.

“Is he ok?” Carter asked.

“Yes, hunter, yes, ok, but Jim Murphy’s dead.” John took a bite of his burger.

“Pastor Jim? Hm?” Sam asked, chowing down on his salad.

“Uncle Jim?” Adam shuttered.

“How?” Carter asked.

“Throat was slit, he bled out. Caleb said he found sulfer at Jim’s place.” John grunted.

“A demon.” Elliott stated. John nodded. 

“The demon?” Dean asked. 

“I don't know. Could be he just got careless, he slipped up. Maybe the demon knows we're getting close.” John sighed.

“So what do we do?” Ben asked.

“Now we act like every second counts. There's two hospitals and a health centre in this county. We split up, cover more ground. I want records. I want a list of every infant that's going to be six months old in the next week.” John ordered. “Carter lead team one with Adam and Elliott. Dean lead team two with Sam and Ben.”

“Dad that could be dozens of kids. How do we know which one's the right one?” Sam asked.

“We check them all, you got a better idea?” John snapped.

“No, sir.” Sam snapped.

“This ends now.” John ordered, standing from the table. Carter paid the woman and followed along behind her dad. Elliott taking the last bites of food, and Dean carrying his hamburger.

-/-

Sam growled, dipping to his knees, hands clutching his head. Last minute Carter had traded Adam for him on her team, because John would be with Dean’s team. She caught Sam as his body shook. “I saw it.” He managed.

“Saw what?” Carter whispered.

“The Yellow Eyed Demon was in a babies nursery. I saw a mother looking out the window, I heard a train, and then saw the demon again.” Sam explained.

“Ok, get out a map, Sam, figure out where the house is, you got me? I am going to take Elliott to the park, you coming?” Sam nodded. 

They had just settled down, Carter waving warmly at Elliott when Sam gasped, gripping her thigh. “That’s the mom.” He whispered.

Sam was up before she could stop him, the woman was stuggling to close an umbrella, while pushing her little one in a stroller. “Hi. Here, let me hold that for you. You look like you don't need that anymore.”

“Oh. Thanks.” She smiled, letting him hold the buggy.

“She's gorgeous. Is she yours?” Sam asked, cocking his head to the side looking down at the baby.

“Yeah, where’s yours?” The woman asked. 

“ELLIOTT!” Sam shouted, Elliott waved at him, Carter approached, slipping her fingers into his, and smiling at the woman. Sam absentmindedly kissed the top of Carter’s head.

“Excuse his rudeness, this is Sam.” Carter jerked her head in his direction, “And I am Carter Winchester, that’s our… daughter, Elliott.”

“Hi there.” Sam cooed to the baby. “We just moved here.” Sam offered, still making faces at the baby.

“Hi. I'm Monica. This is Rosie.” Monica took Carter’s offered hand, and they shared a knowing smile.

“Hi Rosie.” Sam gushed.

“He wants another.” Carter giggled.

“Well, welcome to the neighborehood.” Monica smiled.

“Thanks. She's such a good baby!” Sam laughed.

“I know, I mean she...she never cries. She just stares at everybody. Sometimes she looks at you and I swear it's...it's like she's reading your mind.” Monica offered smiling. 

Elliott had wondered back to Carter, and lopped her hands around Carter’s waist. “Momma, thirsty.”

“Hold on Carter, let mommy and daddy finish talking.” Carter smoothed her hair.

“Daddy.” Elliott smiled, looking at Sam, who winked at her.

“What about you Monica? Have you lived here long?” Sam asked.

“My husband and I, we bought our place just before Rosie was born.” Monica explained.

“She truely is beautiful. How old is she?” Carter asked.

“Six months. She’s big, right, growing like a weed.” Monica gushed.

“They always do.” Sam muttered, caught in his own thoughts, he tightened his grip on Carter’s shoudler.

“How old are you, miss Elliott?” Monica asked.

“I just turned seven!” Elliott held up her hands.

“Wow, you two look young to have a seven year old!” Monica studied them again.

“What can I say, loved this boy since I first met him, he was a baby.” Carter laughed, “Seems like we have been togehter forever. High school sweet hearts, and all.” 

“Mhm.” Sam nodded. “Monica…”

“Yeah, Sam?” She asked.

“Just… just take care of yourself, ok?” Sam asked.

“You guys too, maybe I’ll see you around.” Monica winked.

As soon as Monica was gone, Carter looked sharpley at Sam. “What the hell?”

“I had another vision.” Sam grunted.

“Vision?” Elliott asked.

“Yeah, she’s going to burn, its going to happen tonight.” Sam looked distraught.

“I’m calling Dean.” Carter growled. “Dean, Sam… listen meet us at the hotel, ok. Dad’s not going to like this.” Carter ordered.

“He saw it, didn’t he?” Dean asked.

“Mhm.” 

-/-

“A vision?” John frowned. “This is what you wouldn’t tell me about. His nightmares are actually visions?”

“Yes. I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling.” Sam was looking anywhere but his fahter, his arm slung around Carter who was next to him on the bed. Ben and Elliott were watching Cartoons, John and Dean were at the table with Adam.

“And you think this is going to happen to this woman you met because…” John looked at his oldest three, confusion on his face.

“Things happen the way Sam see’s them.” Adam said after a long moment. 

“It started out as nightmares. Then it started happening while he was awake.” Dean stood, moving to pour some more coffee for himself and for Carter, ruffling her already messy hair as he passed.

“Yeah. It's like the closer I get to anything to do with the demon the stronger the visions get…” Sam’s voice trailed off, wincing as he did.

“All right. When were you going to tell me about this?” John asked.

Carter looked at Dean, both chewing their lips, Carter worrying her lip ring. Finally Dean spoke. “We didn't know what it meant.”

John could see the pain bth of them felt, his oldest two were constanlty protecting the younger ones. “All right, something like this starts happening to your brother, you pick up the phone and you call me.”

Dean looked like he was going to vomit. “Call you? Are you kidding me? Dad I called you from Lawrence all right? Sam called you when I was dying. I mean, getting you on the phone? I got a better chance of winning the lottery. Shit, how many times did Carter call you?”

John looked like Dean had punched him, Dean had used the tone that more often then not Carter would have glared at him for, but now she was smiling at him. “You're right. Although I'm not too crazy about this new tone of yours, you're right. I'm sorry.”

“Look guys, visions or no visions, fact is, we know the demon is coming tonight. And this family's gonna go through the same hell we went through.” Sam looked defeated.

John moaned. “No. No one else is. Ever.”

Sam’s cell phone ringing brought Carter back to her current state, she moved slightly as Sam answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hiya, Sam.” A female voice purred.

“Who is this?” Sam asked.

“Think real hard about it, I bet Carter know’s, she’s listening right.”

“MEG!” Carter snarled, Sam put it on speaker phone.

“Last time I saw you, you fell out a window.” Sam tried ot look calm.

Ben was frantically signing to John, filling him in. “Yeah, no thanks to you. That really hurt my feelings by the way.”

“Just your feelings? That was a seven-story drop.” Carter deadpanned.

Meg chuckled, “Lemme speak to your Dad.” 

“My dad?” Sam asked, “I dunno where he is.” Sam lied.

“It's time for the grown ups to talk Sam, let me speak to him now.” Meg snapped.

John stood, took two steps from the table and said, “This is John.”

“Howdy John. I'm Meg. I'm a friend of your boys. I'm also the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood....still there John-boy?” Meg snarled into the phone.

“You bitch, you killed Jim?” Adam snarled.

“I’m here…” John glared at his son, Adam promptly shut up.

“Well that was yesterday. Today I'm in Lincoln. Visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi....” There was a moment of crinkling.

“John… don’t do whatever he wants!” Caleb’s voice broke through the static, Carter’s eyes widened.

“Caleb?” Carter whimpered inot the phone.

“Carter, be safe.” Caleb started. “John… don’t give her it!” 

“You listen to me. He's got nothing to do with anything. You let him go.” John ordered.

“We both know you have the Colt.” Meg muttered.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” John tried.

“Oh, okay. Well listen to this.” Carter had to bit her lip, because she knew that sound, that was the sound of someone getting their throat cut.

“Caleb. Caleb!” John shouted into the phone, Dean had moved to stand beside Carter, rubbing her back, her face buried in Sam’s shoudler.

“You hear that? That's the sound of your friend dying. Now let's try this again. We know you have the gun John, word travels fast. So as far as we're concerned you just declared war. And this is what war looks like. It has casualties.” Meg cooned.

“I'm gonna kill you, you know that?” John snarled.

“Oh John please, mind your blood pressure. So this is the thing. We're going to keep doing what we're doing. And your friends, anyone who has ever helped you, gave you shelter, anyone you ever loved. They'll all die unless you give us that gun.” Meg ordered.

John was quiet for a long moment, then “Okay.”

“I didn’t hear you, Johnny boy.” Meg giggled.

“I said okay, I'll bring you the colt.”

“Warehouse in Lincoln, you’ll know it. See you at midnight.” Meg purred.

Before he could contest, the line went dead. “Dad?” Adam looked at him, concerned.

-/-

They bought a Colt similar to the one that could kill anything. “I have to got alone, but you guys can take care of the family.” John declared.

“This won’t work forever.” Adam sighed.

“Dad, I;m going with you.” Carter looked at him, sharp.

“Ok, Tatertot, we only need it to work for a few hours.” John frowned. Carter nodded.

“So you mean for me and Dean to kill the demon?” Sam asked.

“No Sam. I want to stop losing people we love. I want you to go to school, I want Dean to have a home. I want....I want Mary alive. It's just....I just want this to be over…” John frowned.

-/-

Carter drove most of the way, once they were their they both did their best to purify the water tanks they found outside of the house. John tucked the gun into his waistband, and threw an arm around Carter, “If shit goes bad, get out of here and get back to your brothers.”

“Dad, you arn’t going to be alone.” Carter sighed. The building was abandoned, barely standing. 

-/-

“Adam you keep Ben and Elliott here with you.” Dean smiled at him. “We shouldn’t be long.” 

“No matter what happens, when this starts you three stay in the car.” Sam ordered.

“I know, brothers, I know.” Adam looked between them, then pulled Elliott and Ben closer to him in the backseat.

-/-

“Dean...ah...I wanna thank you.” Sam stumbled over the words, sitting on the hood of the Impala.

“For what?” Dean asked.

“For everything. You've always had my back you know? Even when I couldn't count on anyone I could always count on you. And ah...I don't know I just wanted to let you know, Just in case. I should have told Carter.” Sam sighed.

“Whoa whoa whoa, are you kidding me?” Dean shot him a look.

“What?” Sam asked, pausing.

“Don't say just in case something happens to you. I don't wanna hear that freaking speech man. Nobody's dying tonight. Not us, not that family, nobody. Except that demon. That evil son of a bitch ain't getting any older than tonight, you understand me?” Dean poked him hard in the shoulder.

-/-

“Meg, you look like such a cute little bitch.” Carter smiled at her.

“Carter, John.” Meg winked. “Two out of seven Winchesters.” Meg circled John, “I can see where you boys get their good looks. Though I must admit, considering what they say about you I thought you'd be....taller.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” John gruffed.

Carter rolled her eyes, her hand clinching his wrist.

“Well aren't you the chatty one. You wanna get to business? Fine. Why don't you just hand over the gun.” Meg tutted, eyes glaring at both Winchester’s before her.

“If I give you the gun how do we get out of here?” John motioned between the two of them, already Carter was nervous, this was too easy.

“If you're as good as they say you are I'm sure you'll figure something out.” Meg winked.

“Or we could just shoot you.” Carter snapped.

“Go ahead, dolls, there are more where I come from.” A second male demon emerged from the shadows, Carter looked him up and down, a frown on her forehead.

“Who the hell is that?” John snapped.

“Well, he’s not nearly as fun as me, I’ll tell you that. Now hand over the gun.” Meg smiled.

John’s eyes lingered on the new demon for a long moment. Carter was already mentally reciting the most basic of exorcisms in her head. 

“NOW!” Meg snarled.

John tossed the weapon at her. 

“This is the Colt?” Meg snarled, looking between them both. Both Winchester’s nodded. Carter was inching towards pissed off. Meg tossed the Colt to the other demon. “What do you think?”

The male demon winked at Carter, raised the Colt and shot Meg in the chest. Meg staggered backwards. “You fucking shot me. What the hell? I can’t believe you.”

“It’s a fake.” The male snapped.

“You're dead John. Your boys are dead, and both your girls.” Meg made a move towards Carter, who met her half way, punching her.

“I’ve never used the Colt, I didn’t know if it worked or not.” John argued.

Meg glared, her chest starting to heal. “I am so not in the mood, John, I’ve just been shot, and your brat punched me.” She flicked her wrist sending Carter flying into the far metal wall.

“Guess your lucky the gun wasn’t real!” Carter smirked, scrambling to her feet.

Meg quirked a smile, her attention and the male demons attention briefly away from John. “We're going to strip the skin from your bones but that was funny.” 

“Meg, you could just fuck me.” Carter is smiling, her brightest smile, eyes wide open, walking towards Meg, suggestively smiling. Meg looked her over, holding up her hand to stop Carter’s advance. 

The sound of gas releasing, a high pitched steam noise made all three jerk their head towards John, he was grinning, as he turned the valve that Carter had been hiding with her body. The sprinklers opened up, and holy water rained down. Carter took her cue, surging forward, past Meg, towards their father. She grunted in pain and howled in frstration when she realized Meg had ran a knife through her ribs.

“RUN!” She heard John scream, she held tight to her father’s wrist, as he drug her through the turns and twist of the warehouse.

-/-

“Dad’s not anwersing.” Adam told his brothers, the window rolled down on the Impala.

“Maybe Meg was late, or bad cell reception?” Sam suggested.

“Carter isn’t answering either.” Adam added.

“That’s not good.” Dean sighed. 

Adam tried to turn the radio on, but static rained through. “Shit…” Adam frowned. 

Sam’s head perked up, “That is the … it’s here!”

DEan shoved past Monica’s husband. “Get to the nursary!” Dean screamed.

Sam took the stairs two at a time, jerking Monica from teh doorframe and rushing in, Colt raised. He shot, the sound resonating through the house, it had grazed the demon, who only laughed, his yellow eyes glinting in the night. “Hi there Sammy, you and Elliott are proving to be hard studies when it comes to using your powers.” Then he was gone.

Sam helped Monica up, and sighed. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

Downstairs Dean was still fighting with Monica’s husband. When Monica, Rosie,and Sam destended the stairs, Monica spoke. “I… he saved Rosie, some man…”

“We’re cops!” Dean tried again.

“I… the man who was after your daughter, we’ve been hunting him for a very long time.” Sam continued.

“Elliott and Carter?” Asked Monica.

“Our sisters.” Dean offered.

“As a family we have been hunting that man, for a very long time.” Sam explained.

“Did you?” Dean asked.

“I clipped him, but not enough to kill him.” Sam looked conflicted.

-/-

Adam answered the phone, expecting his sister, instead a voice he realized to be Meg’s was there. “You Winchester’s really fucked up this time.” She laughed.

“Wehre is Carter, where is Dad?” He demaned.

“Your never going to see them again.” Meg sung, giggling as she did so. The line went dead. 

“DEAN! SAM!” Adam rushed towards them from the saftey of the car. “Meg has Carter and dad.” 

“The demon knows we have the colt, it’ll be back.” Dean frowned, handing Adam the Colt. “Get in the car, now.”

“Let it come, we still ahve three bullets.” Sam straightened his body, and squared his shoulders.

“No, Sammy, we go. We go now. We are not ready for this. We have to get Carter, and dad.” Dean ordered, pushing at Sammy to get in the car.

Dean started the car, and took off. Not looking behind him, only straight ahead as he pushed the car towards Lincoln. For a long time they rode in silence. 

Finally Sam spoke, “I’m telling you, Dean, we could have taken him.”

Adam frowned, “What we need is a plan. I bet they are keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where.”

“They’re gonna wanna trade him for the gun.” Dean started, looking at Sam, who was shaking his head. “What?”

Sam’s face paled, “Dean, if that were true, why didn’t Meg mention a trade? Dad, he might be....”

“Don’t!” Elliott and Ben both shouted. 

“You signing the conversation to him?” Dean asked Adam, who nodded.

“Look, I don’t want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job.” Sam tried again.

“Fuck, Sammy, no.” Adam growled. 

“Screw the job, Sam!” Dean said at the same time. 

Sam sighed, “Dean, I’m just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going.”

Dean shot him an angry look then almost shouted at him, “Quit talking about him like he’s dead already. Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything.” Then he started again, “No remorse for Carter?”

Sam paused to think, “They only need one of them alive.” Sam felt his insides start to melt, and groaned, “So how do we find them?”

“We go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where they were taken.” Dean declared.

Sam looked doubtful, “Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?”

“I agree with Dean.” Adam sighed. “So does Ben, what about you Elliott?” 

“Let’s go get my mom.” Elliott shouted.

“We need help though.” Sam said.

“Right, Uncle Bobby’s.” Adam suggested.

-/-

Bobby Singer was a determinedly drunken organized hunter. He loved John Winchester’s children more than John did. More than he reconned John ever would. Bobby had no children of his own. Carter would have rushed up to Mayhem, the large junk yard dog that was lounging on the hood of an old tow truck had she been there. “Bobby, now I know you and dad had problems.” Adam started, Elliott in his arms.

“Another of John’s kids?” Bobby asked looking towards Elliott.

“Yeah, the youngest, took Ben’s title.” Sam joked.

“Bobby, we want Adam, Ben, and Elliott to stay with you. We…” Dean’s voice dropped off. He looked trapped, like he didn’t want the next words to be real. “Might not make it back.”

“That’s fine, you know I like you brats.” Bobby sighed. “Here you go.” Bobby handed Dean a flask.

“Holy water?” Dean asked.

“That one is.” He pointed to the one on his desk, “This one is whiskey. Adam you take Ben and El on up and get them situated in your old room.” He paused, “You can sleep in the room Carter used to take.”

“Bobby, thanks. Thanks for everything. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if we should come.” Dean sighed, taking a swig.

“Nonsense, your daddy’s in trouble.” Bobby commented. “Carter is too. I adore your sister, you know. Sweetest one outta all of yall, given the worst deal.”

Dean laughed a litte, then looked back at Bobby. “Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything.”

“Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people.” Bobby muttered.

“Yeah, I guess he does…” Dean agreed. 

“None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him and Carter back.” Bobby clasped him on the shoulder.

“Bobby… this book, I have never seen anything like this.” Sam looked up from the reading he had been engrossed in.

“Key of Solomon?” Bobby asked as he joined Sam behind the desk. “It’s the real deal.”

“And, uh, these, protective circles, they really work?” Sam asked.

“Traps demons up real nice.” Bobby nodded, “Won’t be able to move or smoke out.” He winked at them, “It’s like a satanic roach motel.”

Dean joined htem, “Man, you know your stuff.”

“I sure do, and I know you two have stepped in some real deep shit.” Bobby grunted.

“Oh, yeah, hows that?” Sam asked.

“Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions. Four at the most.” Bobby told them.

“Yeah?” Dean asked wiggling his eyebrows.

“This year, 27. More demons - a lot more, are walking amoung us.” Bobby offered.

“Do you know why?” Sam asked.

“No, but you boys, Carter, your daddy, your smack dab in the middle of it.” Bobby stopped short with Adam’s return. Elliott on his back, and Ben beside him. “Got some food in ther eyou three can munch on. You sure Adam is ok with sitting this one out?”

“Of course, Carter’s orders, not ours. If anything went sideways, he takes the kids to you, and they remain safe, change last names, excetera.” Sam told Bobby.

Mayhem was braking, loud and clear, then suddenly he wasn’t. “Something’s wrong. Adam, get the kids and get in here.” Bobby ordered. He pushed all the Winchesters to one side of the livingroom, which was more of a library. He stood by the desk, directl in font of them. 

Meg kicked the front door in. “No more crap.” She snarled, Dean picked up the flask that held Holy Water and looked at Sam, who was tucking Elliott under the desk. Dean surged forward, slinging the water at Meg, she shot her arm up, and he slammed against het far wall. Sam and Adam moved at once, placing themselves between Bobby and Meg. “I want the Colt - Sam, the real Colt. Right now, no more games.”

Adam and Sam started pushing and pulling Bobby across the room. “We buried it.” Adam snapped.

“Adam Winchester, the youngest of the adult like Winchesters. I thought I said no more crap. swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I’m a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two chuckleheads. Lackluster, men. I mean, did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” Meg chuckled.

Dean moved from behind her. “We were counting on it, right Sam, Adam?”

“Right-o, Dean-o.” Adam nodded.

Meg whirled to glare at Dean, who pointed upwards, her eyes followed his fingers, and a snarl developed on her lips.

“Yatzee.” Ben shouted.

-/-

They tied Meg to a chair, in the middle of the Devil’s trap. “You know, if you wanted to tie me up, boys all you had to do was ask.” Meg wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Adam.

“Lady, I’d rather you be in a male body and say that.” Adam snarled back, backing away from her when Bobby reappeared with Salt. 

“Salted the doors and windows, Elliott helped. If there are any more demons out there, they ain’t gettin’ in now.” Bobby informed them.

“Where is our dad? Carter?” Sam asked.

“Ask nicer.” Meg snarled.

“Where is our dad, and our sister, bitch?” Dean snarled.

“Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I forgot, you don’t.” Meg chuckled, both Sam and Dean lundged forward, to be drug back by Bobby and Adam.

“You think this is a friggin’ game? Where are they?” Adam snarled, knife blade to her neck. Dean wondered briefly, how had Adam learned to move that fast.

“I killed them, both.” Meg snarled. “They died screaming.” She smirked, Dean slapped her hard across the face. “That kinda thing turn you on?”

“Your no girl.” Dean spat.

Bobby caught his arm, “Dean, a word.” He motioned towards the kitchen.

All three Winchesters followed Bobby. “Dean, you can’t hurt her.” Bobby sighed. “There is a human girl locked in there.”

“She’s lying about dad.” Adam said it before anyone could stop him.

“What are you talking about?” Sam asked Bobby.

“Can’t you tell, thats a girl possessed by a demon…” Bobby looked exasperated.

“That’s actually good news.” Dean looked smug.

-/-

Adam knew when to leave a situation, and Dean’s face let him know it was time to take the kids and get out of the room. “Ben, Elliott, come on.” He took their hands and headed up the stairway. “Bobby, come get me when its over.” Then he closed the door.

Bobby looked after him for a moment. “There is a lot of Carter, in that one.” He smiled, “That’s a good thing.”

Bobby turned his attention back to Sam and Dean. “Gonna read me a bedtime story?” Meg asked.

“Something like that.” Dean laughed, “Hit it Sammy.”

“Regna terrae, cantate deo, psallite domino…”

Meg shouted over him, “An exorcism, are you serious right now?”

Sam’s voice drummed on, “ribuite virtutem deo.” Meg flinched in pain.

“Oh, were going for it… head spinning, projectile vomitting, the whole nine yards.” Dean nodded.

“I am going to kill you… rip the bones from your body…” Meg snarled.

“Nah, your gonna burn in hell, unless you tell us where Dad and Carter are.” Dean smiled at her.

Sam continued on, his voice even. “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incuriso infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, onmis congregatio et secta diabolica....”

Meg’s body was twisting obviously in pain, “He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time. That’s when I slit his throat.”

Dean leaned towards Meg, a broad smile on his face as Sam continued on, “Ergo…”

“For your sake, I hope you’re lying. Cause if it’s true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me God!” Dean yelled.

The wind was picking up, and the windows were starting to shake Sam’s voice continued on, “Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae. Hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei. Contremisce et effuge. Invocato a nobis sancto et terribile nomine. Quem inferi tremunt…”

“Where is he?” Dean snapped.

Meg’s body was actively contorting in pain. “Won’t take dead for an answer will you?”

“Where is Carter?” Dean screamed.

“Dead!?!” Meg shouted back at him, her back arching, her bones cracking.

“No he’s not. She’s not. They can’t be. They wouldn’t leave us!” Dean snarled, looking back towards Sam who had paused, “Keep reading.”

“Ab insidis diaboli, libera nos, domine. Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias, libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.” Meg in the chair started moving around the circle. “Ut inimicos sanctae ecclesiae humiliare digneris, to rogamus audi....”

“HE will be! SHE will be!” Meg screamed.

“Hm, what?” Dean asked.

“They are not dead, yet. But they will be.” Meg whimpered.

“How do we know your telling the truth?” Dean asked.

“You don’t.” Meg smiled.

“Sam, you can start back up now.”

“Wait! A building, in Missouri!” Meg shouted.

“Address?” Bobby asked.

“I don’t know, but… they are there.”

“And the demon we are hunting, is he there?” Sam asked.

“Maybe, I’m not sure.” Meg withered in pain.

“Finish it.” Dean ordered Sam.

“Wait, I told you the truth!” Meg snarled.

“Don’t care.” Dean crossed the room.

“Don’t do this!” Meg begged.

“Sam read.” Dean ordered.

“Maybe we can use her.” Adam spoke from the staircase.

“What?” Dean snarled.

“If she was a human, that fall… she;ll die if we…” Sam frowned.

“Your gonna kill her.” Bobby agreed.

“What?” Dean snarled.

“The only thing keeping her alive is the thing inside her.” Adam sighed.

“She’s a human!” Bobby argued.

“And we are going to put her out of her misery. Finish it, Sam, now.” Dean ordered.

Sam looked at Bobby for a moment, then down at the book, and continued reading, “Dominicos sanctae ecclesiae, terogamus audi nos, terribilis deus do sanctuario suo deus israhel. Ipse tribuite virtutem et fortitudinem plebi suae, benedictus deus, gloria patri....”

-/-

For a moment no one moved, then the blonde head lifted. “She’s alive!” Adam charged at her, lowering her from the chair, Sam helping him cradle the frail girl between them. 

“Shhhhh, your ok, we got you.” Sam whimpered.

“Call 911, get some blankets!” Bobby ordered Dean.

“Thank you.” Meg whispered.

“Just take it easy… There there.” Adam kissed her temple, rubbing a hand through her hair gently, like Carter would have done.

“It’s been a year.” She grunts, when they try to move her, the pain making her scream.

“Shhhh, take it easy.” Sam smooths the blanket around her.

“I was awake for most of it.” Meg continues.

“Was it being truthful about our dad?” Dean asked. “And Carter?”

“Dean.” Adam and Sam both send him reproachful looks.

“Yeah, but they want you to come for Carter and your dad.” She whispered.

“Where are they keeping our dad?”

“By the River, a sunrise, Carter will be there too.” She wheezed. 

“She’s dead.” Bobby said from the doorway, looking at them all. 

-/-

“Go, all of you.” Bobby ordered. “Adam, Dean, Sam, get the hell outta here before the paramedics get here. Elliott and Ben are safe!” 

“What are you going to tell them?” Sam asked, looking at her body.

“You think you Winchesters invented lying to the cops, now get the hell outta here.”

“Were going.” Elliott declared from teh staircase.

“We need to.” Ben signed.

Dean looked ready to fight, but they were already at the doorway. “Fine.” He sighed.

“Go find yoru dad, bring him around, I won’t even try to shoot him this time.” Bobby ordered. “Get Carter back!” 

-/-

There is no fight, not now. Just Dean focusing on the road ahead, they were headed to Jefferson, Missouri. Elliott and Ben had not spoken since Dean had declared they could come, Adam looked stone faced, out the window, Sam was in the passenger seat, his brow furrowed. They had argued, Sam and Dean, about what John would want. In the end Sam had drawn marks on trunk of the Impala to insure that no one would find the colt.

They wound up outside an apartment complex. “Sunrise Apartments. Think that is waht Meg ment.”

“Probably.”

“How are we doing this?” Adam asked.

“Everyone knows our faces.” Sam sighed.

“Elliott, Ben your up, get inside, pull the fire alarm, get out, get back to the car. Are we clear?” Dean asked.

“Yes, very clear.” Ben signed.

“Go!” Adam shoved them.

-/-

Dean, Adam and Sam managed to knock out three fireman and take their suits. Probably anther felony to add to their list of bad things. They sliped in and broke apart. “Find Carter. We got dad.” Dean snapped at Adam. Adam darted off down one hall, while Sam and Dean moved down the other.

Adam found Carter unguarded, a smile graced his face. “Carter.” 

“Not quite.” Carter’s form sat up. “I’m riding your sister.”

Instantly Adam muttered, “Christo.”

Carter flinched. Carter had made him learn exorcisms, so he started in on a general one. By the time her body jerked and contorted, the demon smoked out, Adam tore off his suit, and jerked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. 

-/-

Adam followed orders, getting Carter to the car, pushing her into teh back seat with Elliott and Ben, then threw the car in drive and pulled aroudn to the alley where Dean and Sam were supposed to emerge with their father if all went well. Sam is shovinng John into teh back in the next instant, Adam is sure he heard a gunshot, then Dean and Sam are in the passenger door, barkind orders at Adam.

-/-

The cabin was one of Bobby’s, Adam had known about it. Adam had Ben and Elliott salting the doors and windows, while he was spray painting a devils trap on the floor. Sam was making some coffee while Dean checked on John and Carter. “They ok?” Sam asked.

“They just need a little rest, is all.” Dean sighed.

“Carter wasn’t guarded?” Sam asked looking back at Adam.

Adam swolloed hard. “She was a demon, but I exorcised her.” 

“You…” Dean smiled at him. “Good job, son.” He turned his attention to Sam. “You ok?

“Uh, yeah, you saved my life back there.” Sam smiled, or at least tried to.

“Guess your glad I brought the gun then, huh?” Dean chuckled.

“I’m trying to thank you here.” Sam frowned.

“We salted everything.” Elliott offered returning to the living room. 

“Hey… sam.” Dean started.

Dean, Sam, Elliott, Ben, and Adam all looked at each other. “Yeah, Dean.”

“You know that guy I shot, there was a man in there…” Dean trailed off.

“You didn’t have a choice, Dean.” Sam answered honestly.

“Yeah, I know, that’s not what bothers me.” Dean replied.

“Then what?” Asked Adam.

“Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn’t flich, didn’t hesitate. For you… for Dad, for the kids… For Carter… there is nothing I wouldn’t do. It scares me sometimes… how far I would go.” Dean sighed.

“It shouldn’t.” Carter stated, supporting her father.

“You did good.” John growled.

“Your not mad.” Dean asked.

“For what?” Asked John, his arm tight around Carter’s shoulder.

“How are you even up right now?” Adam asked both of them.

“Strong blood.” Carter joked.

“Using a bullet.” Sam mused.

“Mad? I’m proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you – you watch out for this family. You always have. Carter does when she is not trying to save my old ass, but you Dean, your consistant.” John smiled.

“Thanks.” Dean looked pointedly at the floor. 

The whole cabin shivered, wind picked up outside. “Its here.” Carter whimpered.

“Sam, check the salt lines, now.” John ordered.

“The kids set them.” Sam started.

“Check them again.” John growled. 

Carter cast him a curious look. “I’ll help you, Sam.” Carter reached for her brother, who grabbed her and let her rest against him.

“Give me the gun, Dean.” John ordered.

Dean frowned. “Sam already tried to shoot the demon, it disappeared.” 

Adam looked between Dean and his father, and whispered “Christo.” Low.

John flinched, just slightly. “I wont miss.” John growled.

“Dean, no.” Adam growled. “No, it’s not dad.”

“He’d be furious.” Ben signed.

“What?” John asked.

“Dad would be furious, we wasted a bullet.” Dean frowned. “Your not our dad.”

“Dean, it’s me.” John tried.

“No, I know my dad better than anyone, know the way Carter looked at you, your not him.” Dean growled.

“What the hell’s gotten into you?” John demanded as Dean raised the gun at him.

Carter with Sam’s help made it back int the room. “I could ask the same of you?” Carter snarled.

“Your siblings have lost it, Sam.” John tried.

“That’s not dad.” Adam offered, shielding Elliott and Ben behind him. 

“Huh?” Sam looked around them again.

“I think he’s possessed, knew something was wrong when he made Carter go with you, that’s an Adam task, he’d of kept me and Carter by his side, were his soliders.” Dean snarled.

“We don’t have time for this… Sam, you wanna kill this demon right, we need to do this now.” John tried.

Sam stilled, moving closer to Dean, “No, no.” He frowned. “Dean and Carter know you best.” Sam started. “If they are sure, I am sure.” 

“Kill me then.” John snarled.

The kids shared a look. “No chance.” Carter lundged at the demon, whose eyes were shimmering yellow. Sam lundged at the same moment, bodies colliding, the blood from Carter’s earlier wound slidding down her side, dripping on the wood floor, slicking up their ground. A flick of the demons wrist sent both slamming backwards. “BASTARD!” Carter roared.

“We have been looking for you!” Sam spat.

Another wrist flick sent Dean slamming backwards. Adam, Elliott, and Ben were crouched on the floor. “Three stupidly brave older children, and three cowardly stupid younger children.” He sighed. “You see, you took from me, the boy in the alley you shot - my son and the girl you sent back to hell, my daughter.”

“Meg was your kid?” Carter choked.

“She was.” The yellow eyed demon nodded.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Dean snapped.

“What your the only one allowed ot have a family?” It sneered. “You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?” He smiled warmly at Sam. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don’t make a right. Now I plan on killing you youngest to oldest. Carter and Dean last, so they watch…”

“You son of a bitch.” Carter and Dean spat in unison.

“Why? Why all this?” Sam asked.

“You mean why did I kill mommy dearest, and Jessi?” The demon asked.

“Yea.” Sam shouted.

“You know, I bet Sammy never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him. Been shopping for rings and everything. You want to know why? Because they got in the way.” Yellow eyes laughed. Carter and Dean both looked at Sam. 

“In the way?” Sam asked.

“Of my plans for you.” It replied. “All the children like you, little Elliott included.”

“Could you skip to the point?” Carter snapped.

“Were not really into monolouges.” Dean offered.

“Funny, but that’s all part of your M.O., isn’t it? Masks all that nasty pain, masks the truth.” Yellow eyes paused, “You both do it, hide the nasty things you do in the dark from the other four, get sarcastic to cover your hearts.”

“Oh yea, whats that?” Dean snarled.

“Dean.” Carter’s voice held a warning. 

“You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don’t need you. Not like you need them, either of you. Sam – he’s clearly John’s favorite. Even when they fight, it’s more concern than he’s ever shown you. And the other three, just mistakes he can’t get rid of, so John gives them to you two to raise, a tortured little circus show.” Yellow eyes was pacing. “Ben isn’t even his, a mistake you made Dean, that you couldn’t man up to take care of.”

Ben’s eyes widened across the room. Carter snarled, her eyes narrow. “Stop!” She shouted at the demon.

“I bet you’re real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted ‘em.” Dean shouted, then disolved in screams. Dean’s chest was spliting open, blood pooling down his front.

“DEAN!” The other siblings screamed.

At once Carter and Dean both spoke. “DAD! DAD! STOP IT!” and “DAD! DON’T LET IT KILL ME!”

Dean passed out, blood running out od his mouth. 

“STOP!” John shouted, suddenly both Carter and Sam were free of the bonds that were holding them, Carter made it to Dean first, cradeling his head in her lap, tears rushign down her face. She was kissing all over his face, and begging under her breath when Sam reached her.

Sam scrambled for the gun. “Shoot me, you shoot daddy.” The demon sang.

Sam shot John in the leg. Dean started coughing, Carter breathed a heavy sigh, pressing her lips lightly to his then kissed his temple. “Thank you.” She whimpered. 

John was begging, Carter could hear it bt she didn’t care what was going on, Dean was breathing, but shakily. “Adam, move, now.” 

Adam surged forward, grabbing at Dean, hauling him up. “Ben, help me.”

Ben still looked shell shocked. “Carter?” His hands didn’t move.

“Can you hear?” Carter asked.

He nodded. “It fixed me, so I could hear.”

“Help your brother.” Carter ordered. 

Ben moved quickly, helping Adam heaft Dean and head to the car. 

The demon smoked out of John, John was shouting at Sam, for not killing him with the Demon inside of him. Sam ignored him, pulling John to his feet and heading to the car. They were all in need of a hospital. Carter grabbed the colt, and motioned for Elliott. Elliott helped her older sister stand.

-/-

John was in the backseat, Ben beside him, Adam at the window with Elliott in his lap. Dean in the passenger side, legs stretched out, Carter in his lap, cradling his head, so the swerving wouldn’t hurt him more. Sam driving. “Hold on, everyone, hold on.” Sam whimpered.

“Why didn’t you kill it. I am disappointed in you, Sammy.” John paused, shifting. “Why didn’t you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything…”

Sam’s eyes glinted back at John, “No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we’ve still got the Colt. We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, alright? I mean, we already found the demon.....”

Before he could continue the conversation, the side of the car was struck sharp by an 18 wheeler for a moment Sam could swear he saw blinding gold wings, but that couldn’t be real. The tractor trailer continued on the path, pushing the Impala for some time. Then it stopped. Sam grunted. “DAD!” no response. “DEAN?” nothing. “CARTER!”

“Sam…” Her voice was weak. “Call 911.” He watched her face drop forward, blood coated, onto Dean’s cheek.


End file.
